The Role of the Crystal Plane Irradiated by Swift Heavy Ions in the Formation of Defects in MgAl2O4 Crystals

Model experiments were performed on the interaction of swift heavy 220 MeV Xe ions with MgAl2O4 spinel crystal with (100), (110), and (111) planes. A computational analysis of the energy parameters of Xe ions in MgAl2O4 single crystal was performed, and an estimate of the ion range in the near-surface layer (14 μm) was provided. Optical absorption spectrum was analyzed using polarized light and EPR spectroscopy of initial and irradiated crystals. It has been established that at a fluence of 1013 cm−2 in a sample with an orientation plane (110), 35% more optically active F-type centers are formed. It has been shown that optically active centers V|Al–O− are observed in an unusual, polarized beam.