Ion‐Bombardment Enhanced Solubility in Solids

Two labelling techniques are developed which are based on injection of small concentrations of radioactive atoms with a known concentration profile. These techniques are used for studying enhancement of solubility in mica, Al2O3, and NiO induced in these substances by bombardment with Kr ions with energies in the keV region. Mica is found to be the most sensitive, an enhanced solubility of the surface layer being detected for doses as low as 5 × 1012 ions/cm2. The depth of the soluble layer is found to be comparable with the range of the ions. The effects of ion bombardment on solubility seem to arise from lattice damage resulting from the bombardment rather than from the presence of the injected gas.