Thermal Stability of Color Centers in Lithium Fluoride Crystals Irradiated with Electrons and N, O, Kr, U Ions

Malikova Z. Karipbayev Z.T. Akilbekov A. Dauletbekova A. Popov A.I. Kuzovkov V.N. Abdrakhmetova A. Russakova A. Baizhumanov M.
October 2025 Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)

Materials
2025 #18 Issue 19

Lithium fluoride (LiF) crystals are widely employed both as optical windows transparent in the ultraviolet spectral region and as efficient personal dosimeters, with their application scope recently expanding into lithium-ion technologies. Moreover, as an alkali halide crystal (AHC), LiF serves as a model system for studying and simulating radiation effects in solids. This work identifies radiation-induced defects formed in lithium fluoride upon irradiation with swift heavy ion beams (N, O, Kr, U) and intense pulsed electron beams, investigates their thermal stability, and performs computer modeling of annealing processes. The theoretical analysis of existing experimental kinetics for (Formula presented.) -centers induced by electron and heavy ion irradiation reveals considerable differences in the activation energies for interstitial migration. A strong correlation between the activation energy (Formula presented.) and the pre-exponential factor (Formula presented.) ((Formula presented.)) is observed; notably, (Formula presented.) ((Formula presented.)) is no longer constant but closely matches the potential function Ea. Indeed, with increasing irradiation dose, both the migration energy (Formula presented.) and pre-exponential factor (Formula presented.) decrease simultaneously, leading to an effective increase in the defect diffusion rate.

Frenkel defects , LiF , optical absorption , swift heavy ions , thermal stability

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Institute of Physical and Technical Sciences, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Munaitpasov Str. 13, Astana, 010008, Kazakhstan
Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Kengaraga 8, Riga, LV-1063, Latvia
National Scientific Laboratory for Collective Use, Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University, 34 Tridtsatoy Gvardeiskoy Divizii Str., Ust-Kamenogorsk, 070002, Kazakhstan

Institute of Physical and Technical Sciences
Institute of Solid State Physics
National Scientific Laboratory for Collective Use

10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель

Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026