RESONANCE RAMAN AND ELECTRONIC ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOFY OF ELECTRON AND $\gamma$-RAY IRRADIATED SINGLE CRYSTALS OF ALKALI-METAL CHLORATES

Abstract

Resonance Raman scattering and electronic absorption spectroscopy have been used to study radiation effects in single crystals of $NaClO_{3}$ and $KClO_{3}$. Interaction of ionizing radiation with $CL0_{3}^{-}$ ions produces species such as $O^{-}_{3}$, $O^{-}_{2}$, $C1O^{-}$, and $C1O^{-}_{2}$ ions which are trapped at various sites in the crystal lattice. By irradiating crystals at $77^{\circ} K$, the unstable precursors of these species can also be studied. The electronic and resonance Raman spectra of some unstable intermediate and final products of the radiolytic decomposition of $NaCLO_{3}$ and $KCLO_{3}$ are reported. The results are used to sketch ground and excited electronic state properties of some of the ions that occur along the decomposition pathways in these crystals.