Transmission electron microscopy radiation dose

The radiation resistance of zirconolite has been tested with 238Pu- and 244Cm-doped and ion-irradiated samples (Weber et aL 1998 Weber Ewing 2002). Amorphization of zirconolite occurred at doses corresponding to 0.3-0.5 dpa at room temperature. Dose-age relationships have been determined by analytical transmission electron microscopy for the onset dose and critical amorphization dose of a suite of natural zirconolites (Lumpkin etal. 1994,1998b). 

Figure 10. Variation of a-decay dose as a function of age for natural pyrochlore (modified after Lumpkin and Ewing 1988). The lower boundary marks the onset of observable radiation damage, as determined by transmission electron microscopy. The upper curve represents complete amorphization. Open circles specimens from a single locality which accurately bracket the a-decay dose for amorphization, closed circles localities for which the amorphization dose was estimated from low-dose specimens, upward triangles locaUties for which complete amorphization was not observed, downward triangles localities which had only amorphous specimens.

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