The state of dispersion of Pb²⁺ in highly doped KCl crystals

Abstract

Abstract The state of dispersion of Pb 2+ in highly doped KCl crystals after different heat treatments is investigated. Optical and X‐ray diffraction measurements show that the new phase formed in KCl crystals by precipitation of the impurity is imperfectly ordered and composed of agglomerations of cation‐vacancy dipoles, different from the case of Pb‐doped NaCl crystals where a PbCl 2 , phase is obtained. X‐ray diffraction and luminescence data show that after both, strong precipitation and dissolution, the impurity evolves towards the same equilibrium state characterized by partial aggregation of Pb 2+ cation‐vacancy dipoles.