Defect-related luminescence of MgO single crystals irradiated with swift 132Xe ions

Low-temperature cathodo- and photoluminescence connected with the F and F+ centers (oxygen vacancies in different charge states) and bivacancies have been investigated in MgO single crystals preliminarily irradiated by 230-MeV 132Xe ions with varying fluence (up to 1014 ions/cm2). The cathodoluminesence bands (result of decomposition into Gaussians) related to the F, F+ and P centers have intensified with Xe-irradiation fluence up to Φ = 1013 ions/cm2, while drastic emission attenuation in a whole spectral region occurs at higher fluences. The limitations of the use of luminescence methods for the detection of structural point defects induced by heavy irradiation have been considered.