A comparison between tracks created by high energy mono-atomic and cluster ions in Y3Fe5O12

lSamples of yttrium iron garnet (Y3Fe5O12 or YIG) were irradiated with Au-4, C-n (2 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 20), C-60 ions in the MeV energy range. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), the induced latent tracks are compared with those generated with GeV mono-atomic ions. The cluster ions create amorphous and continuous tracks as in the mono-atomic case. Irradiation at grazing incidence allows to visualise the dissociation of cluster ions inside a solid. Some of the tracks induced by high energy C60 ions contain a "bubble-like" structure inside the amorphous part of the tracks, which is in contrast to the tracks induced by smaller cluster and GeV mono-atomic ions for which no structure is seen. The diameters of the tracks induced by MeV cluster ions and by the low velocity mono-atomic ions are seen to follow the same curve as a function of the linear rate of energy deposition (dE/dx)(e). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.