Low energy nitrogen ion doping into GaAs using combined ion-beam and molecular-beam epitaxy method

Low energy nitrogen (N) ions were irradiated during the epitaxial growth of GaAs using combined ion beam and molecular beam epitaxy (CIBMBE) method as a function of N⁺ ion acceleration energy (E_a) and N⁺ ion beam current density (I_N). E_a was varied from 70 to 170 eV I_N from 900 pA/cm² to 75 nA/cm². GaAs growth rate was fixed to 1 μm/h. In 2 K photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the samples with I_N = 3 nA/cm² and E_a = 70–100 eV, two sharp emissions at 1.508 eV (X₁) and 1.495 eV (X₂), which have been attributed to the emissions of excitons bound to isolated N atoms, and another one at 1.443 eV (X₅) were observed. These results show that nitrogen (N) atom in GaAs becomes optically active as an isoelectronic impurity at least in as-grown condition. For N⁺ ion-irradiated samples with rather high I_N, e.g., with I_N = 75 nA/cm² and E_a = 100 eV, a broad emission together with multiple sharp ones were observed after furnace annealing at 750°C which were ascribed to emissions of excitons bound to nitrogen-nitrogen (N---N) pairs.     

Analysis of the desorption of clusters of intact amino acid valine molecules induced by energetic monoatomic and cluster ions

The experiments on the desorption of intact valine molecules and (nM + H)⁺ clusters are analyzed and a ln(Y/S_e) − 1/S_e scaling is found where Y, and S_e are the sputtering yield and the electronic stopping power, respectively. The scaling can be derived with the assumption of a thermal activation mechanism. In the plots the desorption is a uniform process without threshold value of S_e, having different activation energies U in various charge states. The desorption of (nM + H)⁺ clusters proceeds in n steps with varying Coulomb contributions. Irradiation with C₁₀ and C₆₀ ions leads to higher Y, however, the increment is reduced with the increase of S_e.     

Mean excitation energies extracted from stopping power measurements of protons in polymers by using the modified Bethe–Bloch formula

Recent stopping power measurements in thin polymeric films have been performed for protons of 0.4–3.5 MeV energies using the indirect transmission technique [H. Ammi, S. Mammeri, M. Chekirine, B. Bouzid, M. Allab, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 198 (2002) 5]. Experimental stopping data have been analyzed with the modified Bethe–Bloch formula and the mean excitation energies I have been then extracted from the data. Resulting values for each thin film are 76 ± 1 eV in Mylar, 70.8 ± 1 eV in Makrofol, 82.2 ± 1.2 eV in LR-115 and 55.4 ± 1 eV in Polypropylene. The I-extracted values are compared to those I_B calculated by using the Bragg’s rule.     

Thermochemical study of vaporization of LiTiO by a mass spectrometric Knudsen effusion method

The vaporization of Li₄TiO₄ has been studied by a mass spectrometric Knudsen effusion method in the temperature range 1082–1582 K. Identified vapors are Li(g), LiO(g), Li₂O(g) and Li₃O(g). When the vaporization proceeds, the content of Li₂O in the Li₄TiO₄ sample decreases and the condensed phase of the sample changes to β-Li₄TiO₄ plus l-Li₂TiO₃ below 1323 K, to β-Li₄TiO₄ plus h-Li₂TiO₃ in the range 1323–1473 K and to h-Li₂TiO₃ plus liquid above 1473 K. On the basis of the partial pressure data, the enthalpies of formation for β-Li₄TiO₄ from elements and from constituent oxides have been determined to be ΔH_f,298^°(β-Li₄TiO₄,s) = −2247.8 ± 14.3 kJ mol⁻¹ and Δ_fox,298^°(β-Li₄TiO₄, s) = −107.3 ± 14.3 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively.     

Fundamental effects and non-linear Si detector response

Non-linearity in the energy response of a Si p-i-n charged particle detector has been studied for incident particles with Z₁ between 3 and 26, and energies between 0.1 and 0.7 MeV per nucleon. Although the data closely followed a straight line relations, fitting of the data to a third order polynomial revealed that the response exhibited a persistent curvature that acted to reduce the energy interval spanned by a channel as the energy increased. The curvature increased as Z₁ increased from 4 to 8 and then systematically decreased. The curvature is larger and has the opposite energy dependence to the stopping in a dead entrance window and the energy deposited in non-ionising processes within the active layer. The plasma recombination dependence on the average stopping along the plasma column may account for the reduction in curvature as Z₁ increases from 9 to 25 but cannot explain the net effect. The low-energy increase in energy channel span, which has also been reported by others, might be associated with electron excitation in resonant and direct classical quasi-elastic collisions for low-energy ions, or less likely, electronic non-linearity's associated with Z₁ and energy dependent time structure in the current pulse from the detector. Simple interpolation of the window-loss corrected polynomial coefficients is the best approach if the calibration for Z₁ cannot be established directly.     

A Bethe theory for the directional dependence of stopping by molecules

We derive a Bethe formula for the stopping of swift ions by target molecules oriented with respect to the beam. The theory is characterized by a directional mean excitation energy formed from transition energies and dipole matrix elements. The expression for the mean excitation energy is similar to the one for an isotropic sample but the dipole matrix elements corresponding to the various transition moment directions carry unequal weights which depend on the orientation of the molecule with respect to the beam. For a large class of molecules, the logarithm of the mean excitation energy is linear in sin² θ, where θ denotes the angle between the beam and the principal molecular axis. We illustrate the properties of the theory in the simple case of a diatomic molecule.     

Investigation of in-reactor creep and irradiation growth of zirconium-2.5 wt% niobium channel tubes

We summarize the diametral creep results obtained in the MR reactor of the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy on zirconium-2.5 wt% niobium pressure tubes of the type used in RBMK-1000 power reactors. The experiments that lasted up to 30 000 h cover a temperature range of 270 to 350°C, neutron fluxes between 0.6 and 4.0 ×10¹³ n/cm² · s (E > 1 MeV) and stresses of up to 16 kgf/mm². Diametral strains of up to 4.8% have been measured. In-reactor creep results have been analyzed in terms of thermal and irradiation creep components assuming them to be additive. The thermal creep rate is given by a relationship of the type ε_th = A₁ exp [(A₂ + A _3σt) T] and the irradiation component by ε_rad = A_4σtø(T − A₅), where T = temperature, σ_t = hoop stress, ø = neutron flux and a₁ to A₅ are constants. Irradiation growth experiments carried out at 280° C on specimens machined from pressure tubes showed a non-linear dependence of growth strain on neutron fluence up to neutron fluences of 5 × 10²⁰ n/cm². The significance of these results to the elongation of RBMK reactor pressure tubes is discussed.     

Z variations in yields of multicharged ions scattered and recoiled from a silicon surface

The doubly charged and triply charged ion yields from keV ion-silicon surface scattering are found to have a strong dependence on the atomic number Z₁ of the incident ion. For Z₁ < Z₂ the yield of scattered multicharged ions increases with Z₁, so that these ions dominate the recoiling Si²⁺ and Si³⁺ ions by Z₁ = 9. In contrast, when Z₁ > Z₂, there are large yields of Si²⁺ and Si³⁺ ions, and the multicharged scattered ion yields are too small to detect. The interaction radius at which shell vacancies are produced is also found to change, suggesting that electron promotion occurs at a different level crossing on either side of Z₁ = Z₂.     

Electronic excitation effects in CeO2 under irradiations with high-energy ions of typical fission products

In order to understand the formation mechanism of a crystallographic re-structuring in the periphery region of high-burnup nuclear fuel pellets, named as “rim structure”, information on the accumulation process of radiation damage and fission products (FPs), as well as high-density electronic excitation effects by FPs, are needed. In order to separate each of these processes and understand the high-density electronic excitation effects, 70–210 MeV FP ion (Xe^10–14+, I⁷⁺ and Zr⁹⁺) irradiation studies on CeO₂, as a simulation of fluorite ceramics of UO₂, have been done at a tandem accelerator of JAEA-Tokai and the microstructure changes were determined by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Measurements of the diameter of ion tracks, which are caused by high-density electronic excitation, have clarified that the effective area of electronic excitation by high-energy fission products is around 5–7 nm  and the square of the track diameter tends to follow linear function of the electronic stopping power (S_e). Prominent changes are hardly observed in the microstructure up to 400 °C. After overlapping of ion tracks, the elliptical deformation of diffraction spots is observed, but the diffraction spots are maintained at higher fluence. These results indicate that the structure of CeO₂ is still crystalline and not amorphous. Under ion tracks overlapping heavily (>1 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm²), surface roughness, with characteristic size of the roughness around 1 μm, is observed and similar surface roughness has also been observed in light-water reactor (LWR) fuels.     

Formation of uranium mononitride by the reaction of uranium dioxide with carbon in ammonia and a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen: II. Reaction rates

Kinetics of the carbothermic synthesis of UN from UO₂ in an NH₃ stream and a mixed 75% H₂ + 25% N₂ stream were studied in the temperature range of 1400–1600°C by X-ray analysis and weight change measurement of the sample. The weight change was divided into two parts; i.e. weight loss due to carbothermic reduction of UO₂ and weight loss due to removal of carbon by hydrogen. The former followed the first-order rate equation −1n(1 − ₀) = k₀t, and the latter the rate equation of phase boundary reaction 1 − (1 − _c)^1/3 = k_ct. The apparent activation energy of the former was in the range of 320–380 kJ/mol. The value of the latter in an NH₃ stream was 175–185 kJ/mol, which was smaller than that in a mixed 75% H₂ + 25% N₂stream (285 kJ/mol). In this method, the rate of the removal of carbon by hydrogen determines that of the formation of high purity UN.     

The kinetics and mechanism of the uranium-water vapour reaction — an evaluation of some published work

The published results of Grimes and Morris on the rate of the uranium-water vapour reaction which were obtained using interferometry have been recalculated using the best values derived from the literature for the complex refractive indices of uranium and uranium dioxide (3.1–3.91 for uranium and 2.2-0.51 for uranium dioxide). The kinetics have been described by Haycock's model and the linear rate constant is given by K₁ = 1.3 × 10⁴P^1/2_H2O exp( − 9.0 kcal/RT )mg U/cm² h, where P_H2O is the water vapour pressure in torr or K₁ = 3.48 × 10⁸r^1/2 exp( −14.1 kcal/RT)mg U/cm² h, where r is the fractional relative humidity, R is the gas constant and T is the absolute temperature.

A mechanism is described which accounts for the observed dependence of the rate of uranium-water vapour reaction on the square root of the water vapour pressure.     

Impact-parameter dependence of the electronic energy loss and angle-dependent energy loss for ions traversing thin foils

The impact-parameter dependence of the electronic energy loss has been investigated using the quantal harmonic oscillator model and the shell-wise model of atomic stopping for ions with velocity v > v₀ and v < v₀, respectively. The electronic energy losses obtained by the impact-parameter dependent formalism have been used in a Monte Carlo simulation code to give the angular dependence of the energy loss of protons, helium ions and heavy ions transmitted through thin foils. The model calculations are compared with available experimental data.     

Phase transitions in U3O8−z: I, heat capacity measurements

The heat capacity of U₃O_8−z with various O/U ratios was measured in the range from 250 to 750 K, and λ-type heat capacity anomalies were found in each sample. The transition temperatures were 487 and 573 K for UO_2.663, 490 and 576 K for UO_2.656 and 508, 562 and 618 K for UO_2.640. The entropy changes of the transitions were 0.44 and 0.39 J K⁻¹mol⁻¹ for UO_2.663, 0.58 and 0.47 J K⁻¹mol⁻¹ for UO_2.656 and 0.62, 0.51 and 0.25 J K⁻¹mol⁻¹ for UO_2.640, increasing as O/U decreases. The enthalpy change due to the transition varied linearly with the transition temperature except for UO_2.640, showing the presence of the same mechanism of phase transition among the samples with various O/U ratios. The mechanism of the phase transition was discussed on the assumption that the transition is originated from the order-disorder rearrangement of U⁵⁺ and U⁶⁺ with a consequent displacement of atoms, similarly to the case of U₄O_9−y.     

Angular dependence of the sputtering yield from a cylindrical track

The dependence of the sputtering yield on the incident angle, Θ, is determined using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for a cylindrical track produced by a fast ion. For a ‘small' spike radius and for the mean energy in the track, E_exc, smaller than the binding energy, U, a (cosΘ)^−1.7 dependence is found, close to the linear collision cascade (LCC) result and to some thermal spike models. On the other hand, when E_exc>U, the incident angle dependence is (cosΘ)⁻¹. For a larger spike radius we obtain a (cosΘ)^−1.6 dependence for both high and low energy densities. Analytic spike models based on diffusive transport are shown not to give satisfactory results. In addition, at low energy densities we see correlated atom ejection ignored in analytic models. Applying the MD results to the experimental data for electronic sputtering of solid O₂ at large excitation densities suggests that the effective spike radius is larger than the initial Bohr adiabatic radius indicating that energy is rapidly transported from the initially narrow track.     

Structural changes in anatase TiO2 thin films irradiated with high-energy heavy ions

In order to investigate possible structural changes due to high-density electronic excitation, anatase TiO₂ thin film specimens were irradiated with 230 MeV ¹³⁶Xe¹⁵⁺ ions and 200 MeV ¹⁹⁷Au¹³⁺ ions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns were measured before and after irradiation. The intensity of the XRD peak assigned to the (0 0 4) planes of anatase TiO₂ decreases in an exponential manner as a function of ion-fluence. This result can be explained by the formation of the cylindrical damaged regions (i.e. ion tracks) with diameters of 9.6 and 16.3 nm for 230 MeV Xe and for 200 MeV Au ion irradiations, respectively. The difference in the track diameter between Xe ion irradiation and Au ion irradiation can be attributed to the difference in the electronic stopping power (and to the ion-velocity effect, if any). For 200 MeV Au ion irradiation, splitting of the (0 0 4) peak is observed. The original (0 0 4) TiO₂ peak remains in the same position, but the new peak shifts to higher angles as fluence increases.     

高温、高压和pH值多种因素作用下蒙脱石层间Cs+/UO2+2水化和扩散行为的分子模拟

作为核废物地质处置库缓冲回填材料的主要成分,蒙脱石在特殊环境（高温、高压和pH多种因素作用）下吸附阻滞核素的行为对缓冲回填材料的性能评估至关重要。为从微观分子尺度探究特殊环境下蒙脱石层间核素离子的吸附扩散行为,本文采用蒙特卡罗（MC）和分子动力学（MD）方法,分别研究了Cs⁺/UO²⁺₂在蒙脱石层间的吸附行为,以及高温、高压和pH值多种因素作用下的水化和扩散动力特征。MC结果表明：蒙脱石层间的Cs⁺、UO²⁺₂周围分别会形成1层和2层水化壳,且层间水分子与四面体中氧原子之间形成了明显的氢键;当c=1.25 nm时,蒙脱石层间最多可吸附285个水分子。MD结果表明：高温、高压和pH值都会对Cs⁺、UO²⁺₂的水化和扩散产生影响。常温、常压下pH值分别为11.85、12.15时,Cs⁺、UO²⁺₂水化壳中的水分子数最多;pH值分别为12.15、11.85时,Cs⁺、UO²⁺₂的扩散系数最大,分别为5.31×10^-13 m²/s和1.11×10^-12 m²/s。与常温、常压相比,高温、高压下Cs⁺、UO²⁺₂水化壳中的水分子数最多时,pH值分别为7.00、12.15;而Cs⁺、UO²⁺₂扩散系数最大（1.12×10^-12 m²/s、1.01×10^-12 m²/s）时的pH值均为12.15。     

Generalization of the eigenvalue problem of the one-speed neutron transport equation in two-region

Previous calculations on the eigenvalue spectrum of the one-speed transport equation for two-region slabs and spheres are generalized. The criticality problem is investigated in c₁ c₂, where −∞ ≤ c₁ ≤ ∞ and −∞ ≤ c₂ ≤ ∞ are the criticality factors in the respective regions. The eigenvalue spectrum consists of non-intersecting, continuous lines on the (c₁, c₂) plane. The structure of the c-map (the aggregate of such eigenvalue curves) is investigated. It is shown that at some discrete, finite values of c₁ > 1, c₂ diverges to −∞, and Φ₂ vanishes (and vice versa for c₁ and Φ₁ at certain c₂ values). Oscillating properties and completeness of the eigenfunction sets along different lines c₂ = ξc₁ on the c-map are discussed, and some theorems about completeness are proven rigorously for different values of ξ. Finally, some time eigenvalues are calculated and compared with the c-eigenvalues.     

PIXE measurements of Kr-sputtered TiN coatings

Titanium nitride films of 30–300 nm thickness deposited via dc magnetron sputtering were irradiated with 150–700 keV Kr ions at fluences up to 2.1 × 10¹⁷ cm⁻². These films were then scanned with a well-collimated 400 keV proton beam and the X-ray yield of Ti was measured both in and outside the Kr beam spot. This procedure results in a precision determination of the average film thickness (± 1% in the case of tens of nm films). The PIXE results are found to be consistent with RBS data of the same specimens. Sputtering yields were determined from the variation of X-ray yields assuming unchanged Ti/N stoichiometry in the implanted area. For thick TiN films (d₀ > 100 nm) the sputtering yields are in good agreement with predictions of the collisional cascade model by Sigmund. In contrast, sputtering of thin layers (d₀ = 30 nm) depended sensitively on the ion energy, being a factor of 2 higher at 150 keV than at 500 keV.     

A Simplified Numerical Study of the Kr/Cl2 Plasma Chemistry in Dielectric Barrier Discharge

In this paper, the generation of excimers and exciplexe radiation in mixtures of rare gas with halogen by homogeneous dielectric barrier discharge （DBD） is investigated. The typical characteristics of an excilamp based on KrCl exciplexe molecules and the kinetic processes for the formation and the decay of this molecules in the Kr/Cl₂ mixture are studied. The computer model developed is based on the Kr/Cl₂ mixture chemistry, the equivalent electric circuit and the Boltzmann equations. The importance in the kinetic processes of some species such as the metastable state of Krypton （Kr（3P0,2）） and the negative ion of chloride （Cl） is considered. The results illustrate the time variations of charged species （ne,Kr+,Cl,Cl+,Cl+2,Kr+2）, excited atoms and molecules （Kr（3P0,2）, Kr（3P1）, Cl, Cl2）, the excimers （Kr2,KrCl（B）,KrCl（C）,Kr2Cl） and the UV photon concentrations （in 222nm,235nm,258nm and 325nm range）. The effects of chlorine concentration and the total gas pressure in the Kr-Cl₂ discharge on the electric parameters and radiation emissions are investigated.     

Effect of N_2 and O_2 on OH radical production in an atmospheric helium microwave plasma jet

UV-pulsed laser cavity ringdown spectroscopy of the hydroxyl radical OH(A–X)(0–0)band in the wavelength range of 306–310 nm was employed to determine absolute number densities of OH in the atmospheric helium plasma jets generated by a 2.45 GHz microwave plasma source.The effect of the addition of molecular gases N_2 and O_2 to He plasma jets on OH generation was studied.Optical emission spectroscopy was simultaneously employed to monitor reactive plasma species.Stark broadening of the hydrogen Balmer emission line(H_β)was used to estimate the electron density nein the jets.For both He/N_2 and He/O_2 jets, newas estimated to be on the order of 10~(15)cm~(-3).The effects of plasma power and gas flow rate were also studied.With increase in N_2 and O_2 flow rates, netended to decrease.Gas temperature in the He/O_2 plasma jets was elevated compared to the temperatures in the pure He and He/N_2 plasma jets.The highest OH densities in the He/N_2 and He/O_2 plasma jets were determined to be 1.0?×10~(16)molecules/cm~3 at x?=?4 mm(from the jet orifice)and 1.8?×?10~(16)molecules/cm~3 at x=3 mm, respectively.Electron impact dissociation of water and water ion dissociative recombination were the dominant reaction pathways, respectively, for OH formation within the jet column and in the downstream and far downstream regions.The presence of strong emissions of the N_2~+ bands in both He/N_2 and He/O_2 plasma jets, as against the absence of the N_2~+ emissions in the Ar plasma jets, suggests that the Penning ionization process is a key reaction channel leading to the formation of N_2~+ in these He plasma jets.