Formation of Color Centers and Concentration of Defects in Boron Carbide Irradiated at Low Gamma Radiation Doses

In the present work, boron-carbide (B 4 C) samples (purity of 99.5% and density of 1.80 g/cm 3 ) were irradiated by using gamma radiation from a 60 Co gamma source. Gamma irradiation of the samples was carried out at doses 48.5, 97, 145.5 and 194 kGy. The samples were analysed using a UV-V Gary 50 Scan spectrophotometer. The effect of different irradiation doses on the defects created in the B 4 C samples was investigated. In the B 4 C samples, the formation processes for color centers depended on the gamma irradiation dose. The calculated activation energies at room temperature essential for the formation of F and F + color centers ranged from 1.89 – 2.05 eV.