Diffuse x-ray scattering from weakly metamict zircon

Diffuse x-ray (Cu K1α) scattering from α-decay radiation-damaged natural zircon has been investigated at room temperature. Huang scattering around Bragg reflections was observed in samples with radiation doses between 0.06 and 2x1018 α-decay events g-1, but none in a highly crystalline natural zircon sample (<0.01x1018 α-decay events g-1). Huang scattering (∼q-2) dominates for small wavevectors, while Stokes-Wilson scattering (∼q-4) is observed at larger values of q from the Bragg reflection. The displacement field produced by α-decay radiation damage is shown to correspond to transverse shear waves. The unit-cell expansion observed in zircon is thus interpreted as originating as a consequence of the shear waves propagating in the crystal, rather than from simply longitudinal expansion waves. A cluster size between 70 and 140 A, depending on the degree of damage, characterizes the defect accumulation. (author)