DEFECT STRUCTURES AND ELECTRONIC-PROPERTIES IN CUBIC STABILIZED ZIRCONIA

EPR and optical absorption measurements have been performed to detect the defects activated by X-rays in single crystals of zirconium dioxide, stabilized in the cubic phase by the addition of Y2O3 in two different concentrations ( 12 and 24 mol%). Production yield and thermal stability confirm the attribution of the 375 nm optical absorption band to the defect responsible for the EPR T-signal. Deviations from a random distribution of the stoichiometric oxygen vacancies are evidenced. These results agree with the existence of ordering processes in the vacancy system, as predicted by recent structural models.