Effect of neutron irradiation on single-crystalV3Si: Heat capacity and resistivity

We have measured the heat capacity and resistivity of a ${\mathrm{V}}_3$Si single crystal as a function of neutron irradiation up to a fluence of 22.2 × ${10}^{18}$ n/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. The structural transformation was found to be extremely sensitive to very-low-level irradiations (∼ 0.25 × ${10}^{18}$ n/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$) whereas the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$ was not affected up to ∼ 3 × ${10}^{18}$ n/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. The residual resistivity showed minor variations up to ∼ 3 × ${10}^{18}$ n/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$ and started to change appreciably beyond that fluence. The electronic-heat-capacity coefficient and hence the density of states at the Fermi level was found to be considerably affected for all fluences. Further there is some evidence for the inhomogeneous nature of the irradiated state.