Effect of gamma irradiation on the electrical and optical properties and conduction mechanism of α-SiO2

The electrical and optical properties of gamma-irradiated α-SiO₂ crystals are studied in broad dose and temperature ranges, and their lattice dynamics is analyzed using IR absorption spectroscopy. The radiation effect on the electrical conductivity of the crystals is shown to be a nonlinear function of temperature and gamma dose, characteristic of percolation systems at low temperatures. The conductivity of the crystals is shown to be proportional to T ^?1/2 in a broad temperature range. The mechanism of conduction in the crystals is discussed in terms of percolation theory.