Effect of deuterium ion bombardment on structure of polycrystalline niobium

The method of X-ray diffraction has been used to investigate niobium irradiated by 25 keV deuterium ions up to 5x1017 ion/cm2. Distortion of the initial crystal lattice is disclosed after irradiation. First of all, changes of texture which point out strong changes in the surface layer under radiation are noted. Splitting and shear of X-ray lines that testifies to change of the lattice spacing is also revealed. The mentioned phenomena strongly depend on crystallographic orientation of grains, they affect physical and mechanical properties of the surface layer of irradiated metals and change parameters describing ion interaction with metal