Ion irradiation-induced amorphization and nano-crystal formation in garnets

The radiation susceptibility of garnet structure types (A3B2(XO4)3, Ia3d, Z 8) has been examined by 1.0 MeV Kr2þ irradiation with in situ transmission electron microscopy over the temperature range of 50–1070 K. The target garnets included five natural garnets: almandine, andradite, pyrope, grossular and spessartine, and five synthetic garnets in-corporating various contents of actinides. The synthetic garnets were silicates (N-series) and ferrate–aluminates (G-series). The critical amorphization temperature (Tc), above which amorphization does not occur, were determined to b