Cathodoluminescence of cerium dioxide; Combined effects of the electron beam energy and sample temperature

Constantini, J.-M.*; Seo, P.*; Yasuda, Kazuhiro*; Bhuian, AKM S. I.*; Ogawa, Tatsuhiko ; Gourier, D.*

Cathodo-luminescence is used for detection of lattice defects, in particular oxygen vacancies in ceramics induced by electrons. However, how oxygen vacancy production efficiency depends on sample temperature, incoming electron flux, and electron energy was not clear. In this study, oxygen vacancies were made in the specimens of CeO by irradiation of 400-1250 keV electrons and the cathodoluminescence from thus induced vacancies were observed by photo-fiber probe combined with CCD. As the result, the dependence of luminescence intensity on specimen temperature depends on the carrier trapping frequency and luminescence efficiency while luminescence center production/annihilation speed determines the dependency on the incoming electron flux. Moreover, radiation transport calculation conducted by the particle transport simulation code PHITS indicates that the number of electrons above the defect production threshold energy is vital to explain incoming electron energy dependence.