Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Direct Imaging of Laser-driven Ultrafast Molecular Rotation
Published on: February 4, 2017
Direct visualization of damage cascades in lithium niobate crystals caused by high-energy ions
M R Zamani-Meymian1, K Peithmann, K Maier
1Helmholtz-Institut für Strahlen- und Kernphysik, Universität Bonn, Nussallee 14-16, D-53115 Bonn, Germany.
Abstract:
Congruently melting undoped lithium niobate crystals are irradiated with 20 MeV (3)He ions which penetrate the entire crystal volume. Radiation damage effects are directly visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) where damage zones with diameters of 4 nm give rise to circular Fresnel fringe contrasts. These regions of modified material, appearing circular in cross-section, are interpreted as damage cascades inflicted by fast Nb and O atoms displaced in knock-on collisions with primary (3)He ions. This two-step displacement process results in local density changes manifested by the contrast behaviour of Fresnel fringes observed in TEM images.

