In situ and LCSM study of mechanical stress in ruby induced by swift heavy ions

Accumulation of mechanical stress in Аl2O3:Сг crystals induced by high energy heavy ions has been studied by using in situ ionoluminescence and postradiation laser confocal scanning microscopy measurements. It was found that lattice defects created via high level electronic excitation lead to generation of high level compressive stresses even at moderate ion fluences, less than 1*10^12 cm^-2. The results obtained are discussed in the frame of model suggesting interaction of non overlapping highly stressed track regions with individual "Cr3+ piezosensors"