Volume expansion in heavily gamma irradiated NaCl and LiF single crystals

Abstract

Linear expansion and stored energy measurements have been performed on NaCl and LiF single crystals gamma irradiated up to 150MGy. The thermal recovery steps of the radiation-induced linear expansion upon heating coincide with the energy release peaks for both materials. This, together with the amount of volume expansion measured after irradiation, leads to the conclusion that this expansion is related to the formation of divacancies and divacancy clusters. © IOP Publishing Ltd.