Cr3+ diffusion in chrysoberyl (BeAl2O4) irradiated by H+ ions and electrons has been studied and compared with diffusion in non-irradiated samples. Chrysoberyl crystals were irradiated with 6 MeV H+ ions to fluencies of 1 x 10(16) cm(-2) for 25 min and with 10 MeV electrons to fluencies of 2 X 10(17) cm(-2) for 1 h. Three different types of samples, which were doped with Cr3+, were annealed in horizontal alumina tube furnaces by 50 K intervals in the temperature range from 1773 to 1923 K for 200 h. Scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX) was used to measure the diffusion. Arrhenius equations for the diffusion coefficient for Cr3+ in the temperature range 1773-1923 K were developed: Electron beam irradiated chrysoberyls, D-cr = 2.1 x 10(-5) x exp (-482.3 +/- 18.2 kJ mol(-1)/RT)m(2) s(-1) Proton beam irradiated chrysoberyls. D-cr = 2.3 x 10(-3) x exp (-545.4 +/- 25.0 kJ mol(-1)/RT)m(2) s(-1)Natural non-irradiated chrysoberyls D-cr = 2.2 x 10(-3) x exp (-547.9 +/- 36.8 kJ mol(-1)/RT)m(2) s(-1) The results indicate that the chromium diffuses deepest into the electron beam irradiated chrysoberyls. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved