Experimental data on track formation in yttrium iron garnet (YIG) are analyzed using a thermal-spike model. Good agreement between predictions and the data is found. For irradiations with low and high ion velocities the efficiency of the energy deposition in the thermal spike is 35 and 19%, respectively, leading to a lower damage cross section A in the latter case. When A is plotted versus the energy deposited in the thermal spike, all track data follow a single curve. The variation of A due to the broadening of the δ-electron energy distribution with ion velocity is discussed.

• Received 16 March 1995

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.52.6154