Energy loss effect on color center creation in LiF crystals under irradiation with 12C, 14N, 40Ar, 84Kr, and 130Xe ions

Color center creation in LiF crystals irradiated with 12C, 14N, 40Ar, 84Kr, and 130Xe MeV ions were studied as a function of the absorbed energy (fluence). For light ions (12C, 14N) the saturation of single F centers takes place at higher absorbed energy (5 × 1023 eV/cm3) than that for 40Ar, 84Kr and 130Xe ions (∼1023 eV/cm3). The saturation concentration of F centers for 12C and 14N (2 × 1019 cm−3) is twice of that for the heavier ions. Further irradiation with light ions decreases concentration of F centers, presumably due to aggregation, whereas for heavy ions the saturation concentration remains approximately the same that can be explained by much stronger recombination losses within single tracks.