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ABSTRACT
The response of Y2O3 nanoprecipitates in a 1-µm YBa2Cu3O7-x layer from a superconducting wire Ag/YBCO/buffer metal oxides/Hastelloy to 107 MeV Kr and 167 MeV Xe ion irradiation was investigated using a combination of transmission electron microscopy, diffraction and X-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry. The direct observation of the radiation-induced tracks in Y2O3 nanocrystals is reported for the first time to the authors’ best knowledge. Structureless damaged regions of 5–9 nm (average 8 nm) in diameter were observed in Y2O3 nanocrystals when the electronic stopping power Se was about or higher than 4.7 keV/nm. This value of Se is the upper estimate of the minimum electronic stopping power to create damage in yttria nanocrystals. The electron diffraction patterns, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform patterns from areas extending a few nanometres around the tracks show that yttria and YBCO keep their respective cubic and orthorhombic pristine structures.
Acknowledgements
The authors greatly appreciate the discussion of the results with Professor A.E. Volkov (Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia). We thank Dr. N.B. Bolotina for English editing this manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.