Microstructural modifications in ion-irradiated nuclear materials: characteristic features of fluorite-structured oxides

摘要

The behavior of two nuclear materials, namely cubic zirconia and urania, is investigated under different irradiation conditions in the low and medium ion energy range (tens of keV to a few MeV). In each case, these materials display a multi-step damage build-up, as revealed by both RBS/C and XRD measurements. It is demonstrated that each step exhibits characteristic features such as damage fraction, elastic strain, nature of defects, and thus presents a specific microstructure. The transition from one step to the following involves radiation defect reorganization which arises to lower the energy of the system.