Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2pzkn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-02T16:57:51.069Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Applications of Atom Probe Microanalysis in Materials Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2013

M.K. Miller  and
G.D.W. Smith
Get access

Extract

The atom probe field ion microscope is the most powerful and direct method for the analysis of materials at the atomic level. Since analyses are performed by collecting atoms one at a time from a small volume, it is possible to conduct fundamental characterization of materials at this level. The atom probe technique is applicable to a wide range of materials since its only restriction is that the material under analysis must possess at least some limited electrical conductance. Therefore, since its introduction in 1968, the atom probe field ion microscope has been used in many diverse applications in most branches of materials science. Many of the applications have exploited its high spatial resolution capabilities to perform microstructural characterizations of features such as grain boundaries and other interfaces and ultrafine scale precipitation that are not possible with other microanaly tical techniques. This article briefly outlines some of the capabilities and applications of the atom probe. The details of the atom probe technique are described elsewhere.

The power of the atom probe may be demonstrated by its ability to see and identify a single atom, which is particularly useful in characterizing solute segregation to grain boundaries or other interfaces. An example of a brightly-imaging solute atom at a grain boundary in a nickel aluminide is shown in Figure 1. In order to conclusively determine its identity, its image is aligned with the probe aperture in the center of the imaging screen and then the selected atom is carefully removed by field evaporation and analyzed in the time-of-flight mass spectrometer. This and many other bright spots in this material were shown to be boron atoms. This example also illustrates the light element analytical capability of the atom probe. In fact, the atom probe may to used to analyze all elements in the periodic table and has had applications ranging from characterizing the distribution of implanted hydrogen to phase transformations in uranium alloys.

Type
Technical Features
Information
MRS Bulletin , Volume 19 , Issue 7 , July 1994 , pp. 27 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Müller, E.W., Panitz, J.A., and McLane, S.B., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 39 (1968) p. 83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Blavette, D., MRS Bulletin, this issue.Google Scholar
3.Miller, M.K. and Smith, G.D.W., Atom Probe Microanalysis: Principles and Applications to Materials Problems (Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA 1989); T.T. Tsong, Atom-Probe Field Ion Microscopy (Cambridge University Press, New York, 1990).Google Scholar
4.Miller, M.K. and Horton, J.A., Scripta Metall. 20 (1986) p. 789.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Miller, M.K. and Horton, J.A., J. Phys. (Paris) 48-C6 (1987) p. 379.Google Scholar
6.Jayaram, R. and Miller, M.K., Surf. Sci. 266 (1992) p. 310.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Miller, M.K., J. Microscopy 147 (1987) p. 159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Duncan, A.J., Kaufman, M.J., Liu, C.T., and Miller, M.K., Appl. Surf. Sci. 76/77 (1994) p. 155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Krakauer, B.W. and Seidman, D.N., Phys. Rev. B 48 (1993) p. 6724.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Gibbs, J.W., The Collected Works of J. Willard Gibbs, Volume I (Yale University, New Haven, CT, 1948).Google Scholar
11.Lupis, C.H.P., Chemical Thermodynamics of Materials (Elsevier Science, New York, 1983) p. 391.Google Scholar
12.Bowkett, K.M. and Smith, D.A., Field Ion Microscopy (North Holland, New York, 1970) p. 142.Google Scholar
13.Miller, M.K., Jayaram, R., Othen, P.J., and Brauer, G., Appl. Surf. Sci. 76/77 (1994) p. 242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Miller, M.K., J. Phys. (Paris) 50-C8 (1989) p. 247.Google Scholar
15.Lifshitz, I.M. and Slyozov, W., J. Phys. Chem. Solids 19 (1961) p. 34.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Wagner, C., Z. Electrochem. 65 (1961) p. 581.Google Scholar
17.Saasen, J.M., Hetherington, M.G., Godfrey, T.J., Smith, G.D.W., Pumphrey, P.H., and Akhurst, K.N., in Properties of Stainless Steels in Elevated Temperature Service, edited by Prager, M. (American Society of Mechanical Engineers, New York, 1987) p. 65.Google Scholar
18.Langer, J.S., Baron, M., and Miller, H.D., Phys. Rev. A 11 (1961) p. 1417.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Hetherington, M.G., Hyde, J.M., Miller, M.K., and Smith, G.D.W., Surf. Sci. 246 (1991) p. 304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Cerezo, A., Hetherington, M.G., Hyde, J.M., and Miller, M.K., Scripta Metall. 25 (1991) p. 1435.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21.Cerezo, A., Hetherington, M.G., Hyde, J.M., and Miller, M.K., in Alloy Phase Stability and Design, edited by Stocks, G.M., Pope, D.P., and Giamei, A.F. (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 186, Pittsburgh, PA, 1991) p. 203.Google Scholar
22.Miller, M.K. and Russell, K.F., Surf. Sci. 266 (1992) p. 232.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23.Cerezo, A., Hyde, J.M., Miller, M.K., Petts, S.C., Setna, R.P., and Smith, G.D.W., Philos. Trans. Soc. London, Ser. A 341 (1992) p. 313.Google Scholar
24.Cerezo, A., Grovenor, C.R.M., and Smith, G.D.W., J. Microscopy 141 (1986) p. 155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
25.Grovenor, C.R.M. and Cerezo, A., J. Appl. Phys. 65 (1989) p. 5089.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Stoneham, A.M., Grovenor, C.R.M., and Cerezo, A., Philos. Mag. B B55 (1987) p. 201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27.Mott, N.F., Rigo, S., Rochet, F., and Stoneham, A.M., Philos. Mag. B B60 (1989) p. 189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Liddle, J.A., Long, N.J., and Petford-Long, A.K., Mater. Charac. 25 (1990) p. 157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29.Hoyle, R.M., Chemistry Part II thesis Oxford University, 1988.Google Scholar
30.Sakata, T., Hasegawa, Y., Kobayashi, A., and Sakurai, T., J. Phys. (Paris) 47-C7 (1986) p. 321.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31.Petford-Long, A.K., Cerezo, A., and Hyde, J.M., Ultramicroscopy 47 (1992) p. 367.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
32.Mackenzie, R.A.D., Cerezo, A., Conyers, J.S., Petford-Long, A.K., Sijbrandij, S.J., and Smith, G.D.W., in Nanophase and Nanocomposite Materials, edited by Komarneni, S., Parker, J.C., and Thomas, G.J. (Mater. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. 286, Pittsburgh, PA, 1993) p. 167–172.Google Scholar