Electron microscopy study of the structural defect formation in ZnS under irradiation by electrons with energy of 400 keV

ZnS crystals grown form the vapor phase and ZnS/(001)GaAs epitaxial structures grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy are studied by transmission electron microscopy after in situ irradiation in an electron microscope at an electron energy of 400 keV and intensity of (1–4) $\times$ 10$^{19}$ e/cm$^{2}$ s. It is shown that irradiation leads to the formation of small (2.5–45 nm) dislocation loops with a density of 1.4 $\times$ 10$^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$, as well as voids and new phase inclusions $\le$ 10 nm in size. Using the moire fringe contrast analysis, these inclusions were identified as ZnO and ZnO$_2$.