LiF crystals irradiated with 150MeV Kr ions: Peculiarities of color center creation and thermal annealing

Abstract Color centers in LiF crystals are studied under irradiation at room temperature with 150 MeV Kr ions in the fluence (Φ) range of 1010–1014 ions/cm2 with a beam current density of 10, 50, and 100 nA/cm2, corresponding to flux of 4.46 × 109, 2.23 × 1010 and 4.46 × 1010 ions/(cm2 × s), respectively. At Φ ⩾ 3 × 1012 ions/cm2 besides F and Fn centers also charged F 3 + centers are created. Thermal annealing of irradiated LiF crystals with Φ ⩾ 1013 ions/cm2 at 400 K leads to a decrease of F centers (due to annihilation with H centers) and an enhancement of complex Fn color centers (neutral and charged) due to interaction with thermally activated anion vacancies. Annealing LiF crystals at…