Threshold Measurements and the Production of Radiation Damage in the Noble Metals

Abstract

We have measured the electrical resistivity changes induced by bombarding Cu, Ag, and Au at ∼10°K with 1.5-Mev electrons. It is inferred that the threshold energy $T_d$ for radiation damage production in Cu, Ag, and Au is 22, 30, and ≥40 ev, respectively. The fact that the $T_d$ values are not the same for this homologous series of metals requires reconsideration of the comparison of deuteron radiation damage theory and experiment. This shows that even beyond the different $T_d$ values, the damage process parameters in these materials are not identical.