Contributions of different defects to the recovery stage at 250 K in gold

Abstract

Gold doped with radioactive ¹¹¹In was irradiated with electrons, protons and Au ions. The trapping of defects at the In atoms during isochronal annealing in stage III was investigated using the perturbed γγ-angular correlation technique (PAC). Via their characteristic electric field gradients four defect configurations were observed. Together with the results of quenched gold specimens we show that the recovery around 250 K is effected by at least two defect types, a small defect cluster being mobile at 195 K and the monovacancy migrating at about 245 K. Additionally, the formation of a large vacancy cluster at the probe impurity is observed at the end of stage III. The occurrence of the different defects is strongly influenced by the mass of the irradiating particles. The results are compared with the information supplied by other experimental methods, especially by resistivity measurements.