Damage induced by irradiation with high energy heavy ions in the cubic stabilized zirconia

The damage induced by the slowing down of high energy heavy ions and the residual mechanical stresses induced by this damage have been studied by X- ray diffraction in zirconia cubic stabilized polycrystals. The samples have been irradiated by Pb ions of 944 MeV delivered by the GANIL accelerator in Caen, at fluences in the range of 5*1011 to 4*1013 cm-2. The changes of the diffractograms profiles in terms of the fluence have been analyzed. The macroscopic residual stresses have been determined with the method of sin2ψ. The analysis of the diffraction profiles by the Hall-Williamson method shows uniquely the presence of micro-deformations and the lack of polygonization. The increase of the micro-deformation with the fluence agrees with the direct impact model and the diameter of the Pb ions traces has been estimated at 4.8 nm. (O.M.)