The resistivity recovery of niobium following low temperature electron irradiation

Abstract

Abstract High-purity niobium (residual resistance ratio 2000–8000) and oxygen and nitrogen-doped Mb samples were irradiated with electrons of 3.0 MeV at 4.5 K. The resistivity recovery and the kinetics of the main recovery stages were investigated. As in f.c.c. metals the recovery can be divided into recovery regions, stages I, II and III. An intrinsic stage III is observed at 250 K to 270 K. Unusual features are the small recovery in the proposed stages of correlated and uncorrelated recovery and a pronounced continuous back-ground recovery.