Microstructure of Cs-implanted zirconia: Role of temperature

The aim of this study was to identify experimentally the phase which includes cesium in yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ). The solubility and retention of cesium in YSZ were studied at high temperature (HT). Cesium was ion implanted (at 300 keV) into YSZ at room temperature (RT), 750 degrees C, or 900 degrees C at fluences up to 5 x 10(16) cm(-2). The temperature dependence of the radiation-induced damage and of the cesium distribution in YSZ single crystals was investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and ion channeling. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were performed in order to determine the damage nature and search for a predicted ternary phase of cesium zirconate. Whatever the implantation temperature, the thickness of the damaged layer increases inwards with ion fluence. At RT, amorphization occurs, caused by the high Cs concentration (7 at. %). In situ TEM during postannealing shows recrystallization of cubic zirconia after release of cesium. A high implantation temperature has a significant influence on the nature of radiation defects and on the retained Cs concentration. At HT, dislocation loops and voids are formed but no amorphization is observed whereas polygonization occurs at high fluence. The implanted cesium concentration reaches a saturation value of 1.5 at. % above which Cs can no longer be retained in the matrix and is then released at the surface. At that concentration, cesium forms a solid solution in YSZ; no other phase is formed, neither during irradiation nor after thermal annealing. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3021162]