Morphological and microstructural evolutions of chemical vapor reaction-fabricated SiC under argon ion irradiation

Chemical vapor reaction (CVR) fabricated-SiC samples were irradiated with 300 keV Ar2+ ions in the fluence range of 5 × 1015 –1 × 1017 ions·cm−2. Raman spectrum and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction analysis display amorphization and lattice expansion of the irradiated CVR-SiC. Transmission electron microscope observations show that small black spots with an average diameter of 1.5 nm are formed at a low fluence of 5 × 1015 ions·cm−2. Moreover, large argon bubbles with an average diameter of 15.1 nm are formed at a high fluence of 1 × 1017 ions·cm−2, and the Ar concentration threshold for bubble formation is 8.83 at.%. The influence of implantation amorphization and Ar atom migration in CVR-SiC on the formation of Ar bubbles is discussed. The results provide a basis for understanding the noble-gas-induced irradiation behavior of CVR-SiC for preventing irradiation damages in future nuclear applications.