Radiation damage in yttria-stabilized zirconia under Xe ion irradiation

Single crystals of yttria-stabilized zirconia were irradiated with 60 keV Xe ions in an electron microscope at several temperatures in the range 300-1473 K and the process of damage evolution was studied. Amorphization did not occur in the zirconia irradiated with 60 keV Xe ions up to the fluence of 1.8 x 10(16) Xe/cm(2) at all irradiation temperatures. In the specimen irradiated with Xe ions below 1073 K, defect clusters are formed first and then bubbles are formed. On the contrary, in the specimen irradiated above 1073 K bubbles are formed first and then defect clusters are formed. From the observation of bubble sizes and densities, temperature and dose dependence of bubble swelling were estimated. With increase in fluence or irradiation temperature the average size of the bubble increased resulting in greater values of swelling. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.