A positron investigation of electron-irradiation induced defects in γ-TiAl intermetallic compounds

The isochronal recovery of irradiation induced defects was investigated in γ-TiAl intermetallic compounds (with 50 and 54 at% Al) by positron lifetime measurements after 2.5 MeV electron irradiation at 21 K. In the as-irradiated condition, the analysis of the results and the comparison with published data led to a value τd=230±5 ps for the lifetime of vacancy-trapped positrons. The lifetime variations observed during isochronal anneals at increasing temperatures are consistent with vacancy migration around 450 K. The observation of a progressive decrease in the lifetime of trapped positron, during the migration and elimination of vacancies, suggests that they do not form unrelaxed three-dimensional clusters, and that another type of positron traps is simultaneously present.