Understanding the role of heavy ion-irradiation induced surface columnar nanostructures through FESEM imaging

In this paper we report on the effects of “surface columnar defects” (blind holes) generated by heavy ion irradiation by performing Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) imaging of the columns created across a selected set of specimens, ranging from YBa2Cu3O7−x melt-textured bulks and Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox monofilamentary tapes to YBa2Cu3O7−x single crystals. Different ion fluences, resulting into modifying the superconducting properties, were sampled. A correlation between FESEM patterns and volume integrated measurements shows how surface columnar defects claim the leadership of the superconducting behaviors of the ion implanted samples.