The effects of swift Xe ion bombardment on the amorphous structure of a VITROPERM type alloy

Influence of swift Xe ion irradiation (ion energy of 11.1 MeV/u, ion fluences from 2.5 × 1012 to 1.0 × 1013 ions/cm2) on the local structural arrangement of a VITROPERM alloy is investigated using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction, Fe and Nb K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy techniques. The obtained data show an increase of structural disordering due to ion bombardment. However, no alterations in pairwise interatomic lengths are observed. The irradiation-induced structural modifications can be removed by an appropriate post-irradiation heat treatment. We suggest that the microscopic origin of changes induced by the swift heavy ions could be similar to the structural modifications caused by severe plastic deformation. [Display omitted] •A VITROPERM alloy irradiated by Xe 11.1 MeV/u ions of fluences 2.5 × 1012 to 1.0 × 1013 ions/cm2.•Local atomic changes studied by XRD, EXAFS and Mössbauer spectroscopy.•Changes induced by heavy swift ions similar to ones caused by severe plastic deformation.•Structural modification removed by a post-irradiation heat treatment.