31P nuclear magnetic resonance study of the proton-irradiated KTiOPO4

31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was employed to study the effects of proton irradiation on KTiOPO4 (KTP) in view of the previously studied paramagnetic impurity doping effects. High-resolution 31P NMR measurements showed significant increase in the isotropic chemical shifts of the two inequivalent phosphorus sites in the proton-irradiated KTP system, indicating decrease in the electron density around the phosphorous nuclei. The 31P NMR linewidths of the KTP system manifested anomalies associated with the superionic transition and with the polaron formation, which became much weaker after proton irradiation. Besides, the activation energy of the charge carriers increased significantly after proton irradiation.