Positron lifetime measurements of hydrogen passivation of cation vacancies in yttrium aluminum oxide garnets

F. A. Selim, C. R. Varney, M. C. Tarun, M. C. Rowe, G. S. Collins, and M. D. McCluskey

Phys. Rev. B 88, 174102 – Published 4 November 2013

Abstract

A charge compensation mechanism is proposed for cation vacancy defects in complex oxides based on positron lifetime measurements, infrared spectroscopy, and composition analysis. Defects were characterized in samples of yttrium aluminum garnet grown in O $_{2}$ or Ar. However, no positron trapping was detected in samples grown in H $_{2}$ . This is attributed to decoration of cation vacancies with hydrogen, thereby passivating charges of vacancies that otherwise function as positron traps. Infrared spectroscopy gave direct evidence of the presence of hydrogen. Passivation of cation vacancies with hydrogen is proposed as an important mechanism for charge compensation in the defect physics of oxides.

Received 16 May 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.88.174102

Authors & Affiliations

F. A. Selim^1,*, C. R. Varney¹, M. C. Tarun¹, M. C. Rowe^2,†, G. S. Collins¹, and M. D. McCluskey¹

¹Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA
²School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA

^*Corresponding author: selim@wsu.edu
^†Current address: The University of Auckland, School of Environment, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.

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Vol. 88, Iss. 17 — 1 November 2013

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