Radiation induced amorphization in YBa2Cu3O7 and GdBa2Cu3O7 superconductors

The response of YBa2Cu3O7 and GdBa2Cu3O7 high temperature superconductors to particle irradiation is examined. Both ion and electron irradiations have been shown to first produce an orthorhombic-to-tetragonal transformation at doses roughly a factor of 10 higher. Analysis of the displacement stoichiometry that results from 120, 300, and 1000 keV electron irradiations, 400 and 500 keV O irradiations, and 300 keV helium irradiations indicate that the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal transformation is driven by O atoms displacements either alone or in the presence of metal atom displacements and that the transformation to the amorphous phase is driven by displacements on the Y, Gd, or other rare earth atom site.