Compositional changes of loops in YSZ by Ne irradiation

Hojo, Tomohiro*; Yasuhara, Akira*; Yamamoto, Hiroyuki; Aihara, Jun ; Furuno, Shigemi*; Sawa, Kazuhiro; Sakuma, Takashi*; Hojo, Kiichi

Yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a candidate material as optical and insulating materials in nuclear reactors. The investigation of defect formation under the ion irradiation is therefore required to assess YSZ resistance for radiation damage. Ion irradiation and nanostructural observations were simultaneously performed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with ion accelerator and X-ray spectrometer (EDS). YSZ was irradiated with 30 keV Ne ions with a flux of 310 ions/cm at 923 K. It is clearly observed that the dislocation loops are formed along (110) crystal plane. The measurements across the loops by EDS show that the composition of oxygen on loops decreases and zirconium increases compared with the matrix. It is also shown that the intensity of Ne increases at the loop. From the previous studies, it was observed that bubbles were formed preferentially on loop planes. It is implied that the irradiated Ne tends to exist in the loops as bubbles.