Thermal annealing of radiation defects in MgF2 single crystals induced by neutrons at low temperatures

Abstract Primary radiation defects in ionic solids consist of Frenkel defects – pairs of defects - anion vacancies with trapped electrons (F-type centers) and interstitial ions. Upon temperature increase after irradiation, the electronic F-type centers are annealed due to recombination with mobile interstitials. Analysis of the recombination (annealing) kinetics allows us to obtain important information on the interstitial migration. At high radiation doses more complex dimer (F2-type) centers are observed in several charge states, which are well distinguished spectroscopically. We analysed here available experimental kinetics of the F2-type center annealing in MgF2 in a wide temperature ra…