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The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf operates a superconducting linear accelerator for electrons with energies up to 35 MeV and average beam currents up to 1.6 mA. The electron beam is employed for production of several secondary beams including X-rays from bremsstrahlung production, neutrons, and positrons. The secondary positron beam after moderation feeds the Monoenergetic Positron Source (MePS) where positron annihilation lifetime (PALS) and positron annihilation Doppler-broadening experiments in materials science are performed in parallel. The adjustable repetition rate of the continuous-wave electron beams allows matching of the pulse separation to the positron lifetime in the sample under study. The energy of the positron beam can be set between 0.5 keV and 20 keV to perform depth resolved defect spectroscopy and porosity studies especially for thin films.

La présence de lacunes d’oxygène dans les diélectriques est supposée dégrader les propriétés électriques des transistors « high-k metal gate ». Nous avons donc étudié les possibilités d’une nouvelle méthodologie pour analyser ces défauts dans des couches minces de HfO2. Il s’agit d’utiliser des techniques optimisées pour la caractérisation de nano-dispositifs i.e. la spectroscopie de perte d'énergie des électrons (EELS) en microscopie électronique en transmission et la cathodoluminescence (CL)calibrées par la spectroscopie d’annihilation de positons (PAS). Des films de HfO2 ont été déposés par ALD et PVD sur des substrats de silicium. Pour les besoins du PAS, des couches d’épaisseur (10 à 100nm) supérieure au standard de la nanoélectronique ont été élaborées. D’après leurs analyses par DRX,RBS/NRA, MEB, TEM. Ces couches présentent majoritairement une structure complexe et un excès d’oxygène important. Les résultats PAS dépendent de la technique de dépôt et du traitement thermique.Leur comparaison avec des caractérisations électriques sur les couches les plus minces indique la génération de champs électriques dans la couche, à l’interface avec le substrat et dans le substrat. Ces observations confirment la présence de charges évoquée dans la littérature. Ces études ont permis de mettre au point la méthodologie et les conditions d’acquisition et d’analyse des spectres EELS et CL.Ceux-ci dépendent de la technique de dépôt et du traitement thermique. Cependant la qualité des couches n’a pas permis d’isoler les effets de la stoechiométrie. Ce travail ouvre de nombreuses perspectives pour approfondir la compréhension des phénomènes se déroulant au sein des nano-dispositifs. / The presence of oxygen vacancies in high-k oxides is fore seen to have detrimental effects in high-kmetal gate MOS transistors. To validate this hypothesis, we investigate the possibility of using electron energy loss spectroscopy in an electron transmission microscope (EELS) and the cathodoluminescence(CL) calibrated by the positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) to analyze these defects in thin HfO2 layers.To develop this methodology, HfO2 films have been deposited both by ALD and PVD on silicon substrates. To make the samples adapted to the PAS depth resolution, the layers thicknesses (10 to100 nm) are higher than those used in microelectronics. According to XRD, RBS/NRA, MEB, TEM results, these layers present a complex structure and a large excess of oxygen.PAS results depend both on the deposition technique and on the heat treatment. They evidence the presence of electric fields in the oxide layer or at the interface with the substrate. Electrical measurements in the thinnest layers, confirm the presence of charges in the oxide layer as already mentioned in the literature. The sign of these charges changes with heat treatment and is in agreement with the PAS results.EELS improved data acquisition has been developed. The EELS and CL spectra have been analyzed using a systematic methodology allowing to extracting characteristic parameters. They depend on the deposition technique and the heat treatment. However, due to the poor quality of the layers, it has not been possible to isolate the effects of the stoichiometry. This work opens many perspectives to improve knowledge on phenomena occurring in devices.

Neste trabalho foi medido o alargamento Doppler de uma aniquilação elétron pósitron com o uso de um filtro angular. O Filtro angular reduz, substancialmente, a detecção de fótons provenientes de aniquilações de elétrons com baixo momento, enfatizando, desta forma, a contribuição de aniquilações com elétrons fortemente ligados. Foram medidos os espectros de coincidência para os ângulos de corte de 0,28°, 0,42° e 1.2°. Os resultados obtidos mostram que, conforme se aumenta o ângulo de corte, há uma redução das aniquilações com elétrons de valência em proporção muito maior do que para elétrons fortemente ligados. Foi determinada a transmissibilidade do filtro em função do ângulo entre as direções de emissão dos gamas, levando em conta todos os elementos do arranjo experimental para cada ângulo crítico, assim como a distribuição espacial da atividade da fonte radioativa. Um modelo simples foi utilizado para estimar teoricamente a dependência da dispersão da energia em função do ângulo de corte. Este modelo permitiu calcular o alargamento Doppler da radiação de aniquilação elétron pósitron. Os resultados obtidos mostram um bom acordo com os dados experimentais. Geralmente, estudos de aniquilação de pósitrons com elétrons fortemente ligados dependem de uma modelagem detalhada do espectro de coincidência, ou da medida dos fótons provenientes da aniquilação em coincidência com elétrons Auger. O filtro angular, desenvolvido neste trabalho se coloca como uma boa alternativa a estes métodos. / This work reports the measurement of the Doppler broadening of the electron-positron annihilation radiation using an angular filter. The angular filter substantially reduces the number of detected gamma-rays from positron annihilation with low momentum electrons, therefore emphasizing the contribution of bound electron. Four coincidence measurements of the emitted gamma-rays were done with arrangements corresponding to critical angles of 0.28°, 0.42°, 1.2°. The obtained results show that the relative intensity of annihilation with valence electrons decreases as the critical angle increases. The filter transmissibility as a function of the angle between the two gamma-rays emission directions was determined taking into account all the elements of the experimental arrangement for every critical angle as well as the spatial distribution of the source activity. A simple model was used to theoretically estimate the dependence of the energy dispersion on the critical angle. The model allows us to calculate the Doppler broadening of the electron-positron annihilation radiation, and the obtained results show good agreement with the experimental data. Usually, the study of positrons annihilation with inner electrons requires good detectors\' energy resolution and depends on either sophisticated modeling and statistical analysis of the coincidence spectra or the measurement of the annihilation gamma-rays in coincidence with Auger electrons. The use of the angular filter developed in this work is a good alternative to those procedures.

Les propriétés d'autodiffusion de l’uranium sont essentielles pour la compréhension d’interaction pastille-gaine dans le réacteur. L'objectif de cette thèse est de déterminer les coefficients d'autodiffusion de l'uranium dans l’$UO_2$ hyper-stœchiométrique qui sont contrôlés, dans certaines conditions thermodynamiques, par les défauts ponctuels. Pour cet objectif, trois études différentes ont été réalisées. La première porte sur la compréhension des défauts d'oxygène et les différents réarrangements du réseau après oxydation. Pour cela, des échantillons d’$UO_2$ et d’$UO_{2+x}$ ont été caractérisés par une diffraction neutronique au sein du laboratoire ILL à Grenoble. Les résultats obtenus de l’analyse par la « Pair Distribution Function » montrent que les ions interstitiels ont tendance à être isolés aux faibles valeurs de x mais ils sont groupés aux valeurs plus élevées de x. La deuxième partie vise à étudier les défauts lacunaires d'uranium, prédominants dans les échantillons d’$UO_{2+x}$ recuits à haute température, qui influent directement sur l'autodiffusion de l'uranium. La méthode non destructive de « Spectroscopie d'annihilation de Positron », implémentée au laboratoire CEMHTI à Orléans, a été appliquée. Les résultats ont montré l'existence des lacunes d'uranium dans le matériau et leurs quantités peuvent être estimées en fonction de la mesure de durée de vie des positrons à l'aide d'un modèle de piégeage. La connaissance de la nature des défauts cationiques et anioniques et des équilibres de défauts aide à comprendre la corrélation entre les propriétés importantes du combustible (e.g, la diffusion, le fluage) et les conditions thermodynamiques (T, pO2). / Uranium self-diffusion properties are essential for the understanding of in-reactor pellet-cladding interaction. The aim of this thesis is to determined uranium self-diffusion coefficients in hyper-stoichiometric uranium dioxide under certain thermodynamic conditions, which indeed are governed by the induced point defects. For that purpose, three separate studies were carried out on virgin material. Firstly, to improve the knowledge of oxygen defects and the rearrangements occurring in the oxygen sub-lattice after oxidation, $UO_2$ and $UO_{2+x}$ samples were characterized by neutron diffraction in ILL Grenoble. The results obtained by a Pair Distribution Function analysis show that interstitial ions tend to be isolated at lower x but cluster at higher x. Secondly, to study the predominant uranium vacancy defects in high-temperature annealed $UO_{2+x}$, which directly influence the uranium self-diffusivity, a non-destructive method – Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy, available in CEMHTI, Orleans has been carried out. The results of Doppler broadening spectroscopy of annihilation of electron-positron pairs has proved the existence of uranium vacancies in the materials, and their concentration can be estimated based on the positron lifetime measurements using a trapping model. The knowledge of the nature relating to both cation and anion defects and defect equilibria are used to understand the correlation between important fuel properties (e.g. diffusion, creep) and thermodynamic conditions (i.e. temperature and oxygen partial pressure).

Dans les réacteurs à fusion, le tungstène subira des contraintes sévères dont, l’irradiation neutronique induisant la création de défauts ponctuels, et l’implantation d’hélium. La compréhension du comportement synergique des défauts lacunaires et de l’hélium est cruciale pour modéliser le comportement des composants en tungstène des futurs réacteurs à fusion thermonucléaire.Cette étude utilise la spectroscopie d’annihilation des positons (PAS) pour déterminer la nature et l’évolution en température des défauts d’implantation et l’analyse par réaction nucléaire (NRA)couplée ponctuellement à la microscopie électronique pour suivre le comportement de l’hélium.Les défauts générés dépendent des paramètres d’implantation (nature des ions, énergie, fluence). Par implantation d’3He à 800 keV, des monolacunes ont été créées et sont mobiles entre 473 et 623 K.L’augmentation de la concentration initiale en monolacunes décale le seuil de migration vers les basses températures. Des implantations à fort dpa (Fe 10 MeV) génèrent des amas lacunaires. Les impuretés jouent un rôle prépondérant sur le comportement en température des défauts.Le comportement de l’hélium a été étudié sous trois conditions d’implantation différentes. Les implantations à basse énergie (0,32 keV) montrent la création de complexes hélium-lacune par mutation. Les implantations à 60 keV mettent en évidence la compétition entre la migration, à basse fluence et le piégeage de l’hélium, à haute fluence. Finalement, des implantations à haute énergie(500 keV) renseignent sur l’influence de la microstructure sur la distribution des bulles d’hélium. / In fusion reactors, tungsten suffers severe constraints such as an intense neutron irradiation which induces the creation of point defects, and implantation of helium. Understanding the interactions between point defects and helium is crucial to model the behavior of tungsten components for future nuclear fusion applications.This study rely on the use of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (PAS) to determine the nature and thermal evolution of implantation-induced defects, and Nuclear Reaction Analysis (NRA) occasionally coupled with electron microscopy to investigate the behavior of helium.The nature of implantation-induced defects depends on the implantation parameters (type of ion,energy, fluence). Implantations of 3He at 800 keV, lead to the creation of monovacancies which aremobile between 473 and 623 K. Increasing the initial concentration of monovacancies shifts themigration threshold toward low temperature. Implantations with high level of damage (Fe 10 MeV) generate vacancy clusters. The impurities play a dominant role on the thermal behavior of defects. The behavior of helium was studied under three different implantation conditions. Implantations at low energy - 0.32 keV - show the creation of helium-vacancy complex by mutation. Implantations at 60keV show the competition between migration - at low fluence - and trapping of helium - at high fluence. Finally, high energy implantations (500 keV) provide information about the influence of microstructure on the distribution of helium bubbles.

La fusion thermonucléaire est envisagée comme nouvelle source énergétique pratiquement inépuisable. Le projet ITER « International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor » doit démontrer la faisabilité scientifique et la maitrise de la fusion thermonucléaire. Le tungstène (W) a été choisi pour recouvrir le « divertor », un composant essentiel du réacteur ITER. Il sera soumis à des conditions extrêmes de fonctionnement : au bombardement neutronique, à d’intenses flux de chaleur et de particules (hélium, hydrogène). Ces conditions induiront dans le W des défauts et introduiront de l’hélium et de l’hydrogène, qui pourront conduire à des modifications de sa microstructure et de ses propriétés physiques, chimiques et mécaniques. L’objectif de ce travail est d’étudier, à l’échelle atomique, l’évolution de la microstructure du tungstène sous irradiation. Afin de simuler les atomes de recul générés par les irradiations aux neutrons, des échantillons de W ont été irradiés avec des ions lourds et/ou implantés avec de l’hélium. La nature des défauts a été étudiée à l’aide de la Spectroscopie d’Annihilation de Positons (PAS). Les résultats montrent que les irradiations aux ions lourds conduisent à la formation de monolacunes et de clusters lacunaires dont la taille et la concentration augmente avec la fluence. Des irradiations ou des recuits effectués à une température supérieure à 450 K conduisent à l’agglomération des défauts lacunaires essentiellement par migration des monolacunes. Pour des recuits à très hautes températures (1773 K), les observations MET montrent la présence de cavités nanométriques (∼10 nm). Les implantations avec les ions 4He 60 keV induisent dans le W une distribution de défauts complexes de type nHe-mv, ainsi qu’une faible concentration de monolacunes v. Une majorité de complexes He-v est formée pour la faible fluence et la fraction des défauts complexes (nHe-mv) augmente quand la fluence augmente. La nature et la distribution des défauts évolue en fonction de la température de recuit et dépend du ratio [He]/[v]. Le premier stade de recuit des défauts lacunaires (∼ 450 K) est masqué par la présence de l’hélium dans les défauts lacunaires. Pour un ratio [He]/[v] supérieur à 1, un stade d’agglomération des défauts est clairement observé à partir de 1623 K. Pour des conditions d’introduction de défauts et d’hélium proches de celles attendus dans les réacteurs de fusion (He/dpa allant de 0.03 à 8 appm He/dpa), la signature positon après irradiation est similaire à celle mesurée dans des échantillons seulement endommagés dans des conditions équivalentes mais sans introduire de l’hélium. Pour des rapports He/dpa allant de 0.3 à 8 appm He/dpa, les recuits révèlent des différences de distribution en taille et en concentration des défauts lacunaires. La présence d’hélium dans les amas lacunaires modifie les caractéristiques d’annihilation des positons et favorise la stabilisation des amas lacunaires. / Thermonuclear fusion is envisaged as a new energy source practically inexhaustible. The project ITER "International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor" must demonstrate the scientific feasibility and the control of thermonuclear fusion. Tungsten (W) has been chosen to cover the "divertor", a critical component of the ITER reactor. It will be subjected to extreme operating conditions : to the neutron bombardment, to intense fluxes of heat and particles (helium, hydrogen). These conditions will induce defects in the W and will introduce helium and hydrogen which may lead to changes in microstructure and physical, chemical and mechanical properties. The aim of this work is to study, at the atomic scale, the evolution of tungsten microstructure under irradiation. In order to simulate the recoil atoms generated by the neutron irradiation, W samples were irradiated with heavy ions and/or implanted with helium ions. The nature of the defects has been studied by using Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (PAS). The results show that irradiations with heavy ions lead to the formation of monovacancies and vacancy clusters whose size and concentration increase with the fluence. Irradiations or annealing carried out at a temperature above 450 K lead to agglomeration of vacancy defects essentially by monovacancies migration. For annealing at high temperatures (1773 K), the TEM observations indicate the presence of nanometric cavities (~ 10 nm). The implantations with 60 keV 4He ions induce in the W a distribution of complex defects like nHe-mv, as well as a low concentration of monovacancies v. A majority of complex He-v is formed for the low fluence and the fraction of complex defects (nHe-mv) increases as the flunce increases. The nature and distribution of defects evolve with annealing temperature and depend on the ratio [H]/[v]. The first stage annealing of vacancy defects (~ 450 K) is masked by the presence of helium in the vacancy defects. For a ratio [He]/[v] greater than 1, an agglomeration stage of defects is clearly observed from 1623 K. For conditions of introduction of defects and helium close to those expected in fusion reactors (He/dpa from 0.03-8 appm He/dpa), positron signature after irradiation is similar to that measured in samples damaged in equivalent conditions without introducing helium. For ratio He/dpa from 0.3 to 8 appm He/dpa, the annealing reveal differences in size distribution and concentration of vacancy defects. The presence of helium in the vacancy clusters changes the annihilation characteristics of positron and favors to stabilize the vacancy clusters.

Neste trabalho foi medido o alargamento Doppler de uma aniquilação elétron pósitron com o uso de um filtro angular. O Filtro angular reduz, substancialmente, a detecção de fótons provenientes de aniquilações de elétrons com baixo momento, enfatizando, desta forma, a contribuição de aniquilações com elétrons fortemente ligados. Foram medidos os espectros de coincidência para os ângulos de corte de 0,28°, 0,42° e 1.2°. Os resultados obtidos mostram que, conforme se aumenta o ângulo de corte, há uma redução das aniquilações com elétrons de valência em proporção muito maior do que para elétrons fortemente ligados. Foi determinada a transmissibilidade do filtro em função do ângulo entre as direções de emissão dos gamas, levando em conta todos os elementos do arranjo experimental para cada ângulo crítico, assim como a distribuição espacial da atividade da fonte radioativa. Um modelo simples foi utilizado para estimar teoricamente a dependência da dispersão da energia em função do ângulo de corte. Este modelo permitiu calcular o alargamento Doppler da radiação de aniquilação elétron pósitron. Os resultados obtidos mostram um bom acordo com os dados experimentais. Geralmente, estudos de aniquilação de pósitrons com elétrons fortemente ligados dependem de uma modelagem detalhada do espectro de coincidência, ou da medida dos fótons provenientes da aniquilação em coincidência com elétrons Auger. O filtro angular, desenvolvido neste trabalho se coloca como uma boa alternativa a estes métodos. / This work reports the measurement of the Doppler broadening of the electron-positron annihilation radiation using an angular filter. The angular filter substantially reduces the number of detected gamma-rays from positron annihilation with low momentum electrons, therefore emphasizing the contribution of bound electron. Four coincidence measurements of the emitted gamma-rays were done with arrangements corresponding to critical angles of 0.28°, 0.42°, 1.2°. The obtained results show that the relative intensity of annihilation with valence electrons decreases as the critical angle increases. The filter transmissibility as a function of the angle between the two gamma-rays emission directions was determined taking into account all the elements of the experimental arrangement for every critical angle as well as the spatial distribution of the source activity. A simple model was used to theoretically estimate the dependence of the energy dispersion on the critical angle. The model allows us to calculate the Doppler broadening of the electron-positron annihilation radiation, and the obtained results show good agreement with the experimental data. Usually, the study of positrons annihilation with inner electrons requires good detectors\' energy resolution and depends on either sophisticated modeling and statistical analysis of the coincidence spectra or the measurement of the annihilation gamma-rays in coincidence with Auger electrons. The use of the angular filter developed in this work is a good alternative to those procedures.

No description available.

In the present work positron lifetime spectroscopy and coincidence spectroscopy of Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation were employed for investigations of defects in Mg alloys with icosahedral phase. Samples of WE43 alloy and WE43 alloy modified by addition of zinc were investigated. Positron trapping at vacancy-like defects associated with interface between the icosahedral phase Mg3Zn6Y1 and Mg matrix was observed. Investigations of MgZnAl-based alloys were performed as well. Vacancy-like defects were not detected in MgZnAl- based alloys by positron lifetime spectroscopy. However, coincidence spectroscopy of Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation revealed that positron trapping in the vincinity of icosahedral Mg44Zn41Al15 phase occurs. Several hypotheses ex- plaining different nature of positron trapping in WE43-based and MgZnAl-based alloys were proposed. Keywords: quasicrystals; positron annihilation spectroscopy; positron trapping; open-volume defects