Track evolution in TeO2 at low ion velocities

TeO(2) single crystals were irradiated by Xe, Kr, Ar, Ne and 0 ions in the range of 0.35 < E < 2.3 MeV/nucleon. The average track radii were determined by Rutherford backscattering in channeling geometry. No tracks were induced by oxygen ions, while the track diameters were about 6, 9, 14 and 16 nm for Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe irradiation, respectively. The track evolution is in quantitative agreement with the model of Szenes. 2.2 and 1.93 keV/nm were obtained for the threshold electronic stopping power for track formation S,, from the variation of the track size at low and high electronic stopping values. The results confirm the quantitative relation between S, and the macroscopic properties predicted by the model. The Gaussian width of the thermal spike is a(0) = 4.4 nm and the efficiency g = 0.38 which are close to the average value for insulators. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.