Low energy argon ion irradiation surface effects on triglycine sulfate

An experimental study of the effects of low energy (1–2 keV) argon ion (Ar+) irradiation on Triglycine Sulfate (TGS) has been performed. Ferroelectric parameters, such as the Curie temperature TC determined from the dielectric constant peaks ε(T), or the remnant polarization Pr, and coercive field Ec, obtained from the hysteresis loops, show interesting differences between samples irradiated in ferroelectric and paraelectric phases, respectively. The radiation damage seems to be superficial, as observed by AFM microscope, and the surface alteration in both phases becomes eventually notorious when the radiation dosage increases.