Growth mechanism of Al2Cu precipitates during in situ TEM heating of a HPT deformed Al–3wt.%Cu alloy

Irradiation effects studies employing TEMs as analytical tools have been conducted for almost as many years as materials people have done TEM, motivated largely by materials needs for nuclear reactor development. Such studies have focussed on the behavior both of nuclear fuels and of materials for other reactor components which are subjected to radiation-induced degradation. Especially in the 1950s and 60s, post-irradiation TEM analysis may have been coupled to in situ (in reactor or in pile) experiments (e.g., irradiation-induced creep experiments of austenitic stainless steels). Although necessary from a technological point of view, such experiments are difficult to instrument (measure strain dynamically, e.g.) and control (temperature, e.g.) and require months or even years to perform in a nuclear reactor or in a spallation neutron source. Consequently, methods were sought for simulation of neutroninduced radiation damage of materials, the simulations employing other forms of radiation; in the case of metals and alloys, high energy electrons and high energy ions.

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In situ TEM measurements of the electrical properties of interface dislocations

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100131322 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 1338-1339

Author(s):

F. M. Ross ◽

R. Hull ◽

D. Bahnck ◽

J. C. Bean ◽

L. J. Peticolas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Electrical Properties ◽

Electronic Device ◽

In Situ Tem ◽

Device Performance ◽

Misfit Dislocations ◽

Electrical Characteristics ◽

Strained Layer ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Interfacial Dislocations

We describe an investigation of the electrical properties of interfacial dislocations in strained layer heterostructures. We have been measuring both the structural and electrical characteristics of strained layer p-n junction diodes simultaneously in a transmission electron microscope, enabling us to correlate changes in the electrical characteristics of a device with the formation of dislocations.The presence of dislocations within an electronic device is known to degrade the device performance. This degradation is of increasing significance in the design and processing of novel strained layer devices which may require layer thicknesses above the critical thickness (hc), where it is energetically favourable for the layers to relax by the formation of misfit dislocations at the strained interfaces. In order to quantify how device performance is affected when relaxation occurs we have therefore been investigating the electrical properties of dislocations at the p-n junction in Si/GeSi diodes.

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In situ TEM Studies of agglomeration of sub-nanometer Ru layers in Ru/C multilayers

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100121685 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 256-257

Author(s):

Tai D. Nguyen ◽

Ronald Gronsky ◽

Jeffrey B. Kortright

Keyword(s):

Layered Structure ◽

Driving Force ◽

High Energy ◽

Superior Performance ◽

In Situ Tem ◽

Rayleigh Instability ◽

Practical Applications ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Diffraction Patterns

Nanometer period Ru/C multilayers are one of the prime candidates for normal incident reflecting mirrors at wavelengths < 10 nm. Superior performance, which requires uniform layers and smooth interfaces, and high stability of the layered structure under thermal loadings are some of the demands in practical applications. Previous studies however show that the Ru layers in the 2 nm period Ru/C multilayer agglomerate upon moderate annealing, and the layered structure is no longer retained. This agglomeration and crystallization of the Ru layers upon annealing to form almost spherical crystallites is a result of the reduction of surface or interfacial energy from die amorphous high energy non-equilibrium state of the as-prepared sample dirough diffusive arrangements of the atoms. Proposed models for mechanism of thin film agglomeration include one analogous to Rayleigh instability, and grain boundary grooving in polycrystalline films. These models however are not necessarily appropriate to explain for the agglomeration in the sub-nanometer amorphous Ru layers in Ru/C multilayers. The Ru-C phase diagram shows a wide miscible gap, which indicates the preference of phase separation between these two materials and provides an additional driving force for agglomeration. In this paper, we study the evolution of the microstructures and layered structure via in-situ Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and attempt to determine the order of occurence of agglomeration and crystallization in the Ru layers by observing the diffraction patterns.

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Influence of ion-milling on the T2 phase in Al-2.5%Li-2.5%Cu alloy

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100153415 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 288-289

Author(s):

J. R. Reed ◽

D. J. Michel ◽

P. R. Howell

Keyword(s):

Thin Foil ◽

Icosahedral Symmetry ◽

Ion Milling ◽

Cu Alloy ◽

Thin Foils ◽

Heat Treated ◽

Aluminum Solid Solution ◽

In Situ Heating ◽

The Stability

The Al6Li3Cu (T2) phase, which exhibits five-fold or icosahedral symmetry, forms through solid state precipitation in dilute Al-Li-Cu alloys. Recent studies have reported that the T2 phase transforms either during TEM examination of thin foils or following ion-milling of thin foil specimens. Related studies have shown that T2 phase transforms to a microcrystalline array of the TB phase and a dilute aluminum solid solution during in-situ heating in the TEM. The purpose of this paper is to report results from an investigation of the influence of ion-milling on the stability of the T2 phase in dilute Al-Li-Cu alloy.The 3-mm diameter TEM disc specimens were prepared from a specially melted Al-2.5%Li-2.5%Cu alloy produced by conventional procedures. The TEM specimens were solution heat treated 1 h at 550°C and aged 1000 h at 190°C in air to develop the microstructure. The disc specimens were electropolished to achieve electron transparency using a 20:80 (vol. percent) nitric acid: methanol solution at -60°C.

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In situ TEM observations of melting in nanosized eutectic Pb-Cd inclusions embedded in Al

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100167391 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

pp. 986-987

Author(s):

S. Hagège ◽

U. Dahmen ◽

E. Johnson ◽

A. Johansen ◽

V.S. Tuboltsev

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscope ◽

Melt Spinning ◽

Ternary Alloys ◽

Solid Matrix ◽

Eutectic System ◽

In Situ Tem ◽

In Situ Observation ◽

Orientation Relationships ◽

Transmission Electron

Small particles of a low-melting phase embedded in a solid matrix with a higher melting point offer the possibility of studying the mechanisms of melting and solidification directly by in-situ observation in a transmission electron microscope. Previous studies of Pb, Cd and other low-melting inclusions embedded in an Al matrix have shown well-defined orientation relationships, strongly faceted shapes, and an unusual size-dependent superheating before melting.[e.g. 1,2].In the present study we have examined the shapes and thermal behavior of eutectic Pb-Cd inclusions in Al. Pb and Cd form a simple eutectic system with each other, but both elements are insoluble in solid Al. Ternary alloys of Al (Pb,Cd) were prepared from high purity elements by melt spinning or by sequential ion implantation of the two alloying additions to achieve a total alloying addition of up to lat%. TEM observations were made using a heating stage in a 200kV electron microscope equipped with a video system for recording dynamic behavior.

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