Morphology of heavy ions irradiated mica

The samples of natural mica (muscovite and biotite) were irradiated with energetic heavy ions [136Xe (11.56 MeV/n) and 197Au (11.40 MeV/n)] from universal linear accelerator (UNILAC) GSI, Darmstadt, Germany. The simple track etch technique has been used to develop and analyze the morphology of induced heavy ions and natural alpha recoil tracks with the help of atomic force microscopy. Defective structure and lattice disorder have been observed in the environs of the etch pits in these layered crystalline materials. The distribution of defects produced along the tracks, geometrical analysis of tracks shapes and shallowness and their correlations with the structural arrangement of the materials have been discussed in the present investigation. Importance of different ion track geometries in micaceous minerals for the fabrication of nanoterrace material with different stacks having sharp edges with unique properties has been elaborated in the present paper.