Effects of surface chemical potentials on cation segregation

Author(s):  
Eugene Ostrovskiy ◽  
Yi-Lin Huang ◽  
Eric D. Wachsman

The presence of gas molecules alters the surface cation segregation process on perovskites.

Author(s):  
D. B. Williams ◽  
A. D. Romig

The segregation of solute or imparity elements to grain boundaries can occur by three well-defined processes. The first is Gibbsian segregation in which an element of minimal matrix solubility confines itself to a monolayer at the grain boundary. Classical examples include Bi in Cu and S or P in Fe. The second process involves the depletion of excess matrix solute by volume diffusion to the boundary. In the boundary, the solute atoms diffuse rapidly to precipitates, causing them to grow by the ‘collector-plate mechanism.’ Such grain boundary diffusion is thought to initiate “Diffusion-Induced Grain Boundary Migration,” (DIGM). This process has been proposed as the origin of eutectoid transformations or discontinuous grain boundary reactions. The third segregation process is non-equilibrium segregation which result in a solute build-up around the boundary because of solute-vacancy interactions.All of these segregation phenomena usually occur on a sub-micron scale and are often affected by the nature of the grain boundary (misorientation, defect structure, boundary plane).


Author(s):  
M. Pan ◽  
J.M. Cowley

Electron microdiffraction patterns, obtained when a small electron probe with diameter of 10-15 Å is directed to run parallel to and outside a flat crystal surface, are sensitive to the surface nature of the crystals. Dynamical diffraction calculations have shown that most of the experimental observations for a flat (100) face of a MgO crystal, such as the streaking of the central spot in the surface normal direction and (100)-type forbidden reflections etc., could be explained satisfactorily by assuming a modified image potential field outside the crystal surface. However the origin of this extended surface potential remains uncertain. A theoretical analysis by Howie et al suggests that the surface image potential should have a form different from above-mentioned image potential and also be smaller by several orders of magnitude. Nevertheless the surface potential distribution may in practice be modified in various ways, such as by the adsorption of a monolayer of gas molecules.


Author(s):  
Klaus-Ruediger Peters

Only recently it became possible to expand scanning electron microscopy to low vacuum and atmospheric pressure through the introduction of several new technologies. In principle, only the specimen is provided with a controlled gaseous environment while the optical microscope column is kept at high vacuum. In the specimen chamber, the gas can generate new interactions with i) the probe electrons, ii) the specimen surface, and iii) the specimen-specific signal electrons. The results of these interactions yield new information about specimen surfaces not accessible to conventional high vacuum SEM. Several microscope types are available differing from each other by the maximum available gas pressure and the types of signals which can be used for investigation of specimen properties.Electrical non-conductors can be easily imaged despite charge accumulations at and beneath their surface. At high gas pressures between 10-2 and 2 torr, gas molecules are ionized in the electrical field between the specimen surface and the surrounding microscope parts through signal electrons and, to a certain extent, probe electrons. The gas provides a stable ion flux for a surface charge equalization if sufficient gas ions are provided.


Author(s):  
D.I. Potter ◽  
M. Ahmed ◽  
K. Ruffing

Ion implantation, used extensively for the past decade in fabricating semiconductor devices, now provides a unique means for altering the near-surface chemical compositions and microstructures of metals. These alterations often significantly improve physical properties that depend on the surface of the material; for example, catalysis, corrosion, oxidation, hardness, friction and wear. Frequently the mechanisms causing these beneficial alterations and property changes remain obscure and much of the current research in the area of ion implantation metallurgy is aimed at identifying such mechanisms. Investigators thus confront two immediate questions: To what extent is the chemical composition changed by implantation? What is the resulting microstructure? These two questions can be investigated very fruitfully with analytical electron microscopy (AEM), as described below.


Author(s):  
H. K. Birnbaum ◽  
I. M. Robertson

Studies of the effects of hydrogen environments on the deformation and fracture of fcc, bcc and hep metals and alloys have been carried out in a TEM environmental cell. The initial experiments were performed in the environmental cell of the HVEM facility at Argonne National Laboratory. More recently, a dedicated environmental cell facility has been constructed at the University of Illinois using a JEOL 4000EX and has been used for these studies. In the present paper we will describe the general design features of the JEOL environmental cell and some of the observations we have made on hydrogen effects on deformation and fracture.The JEOL environmental cell is designed to operate at 400 keV and below; in part because of the available accelerating voltage of the microscope and in part because the damage threshold of most materials is below 400 keV. The gas pressure at which chromatic aberration due to electron scattering from the gas molecules becomes excessive does not increase rapidly with with accelerating voltage making 400 keV a good choice from that point of view as well. A series of apertures were placed above and below the cell to control the pressures in various parts of the column.


Author(s):  
Heinz Gross ◽  
Katarina Krusche ◽  
Peter Tittmann

Freeze-drying followed by heavy metal shadowing is a long established and straight forward approach to routinely study the structure of dehydrated macromolecules. Very thin specimens such as isolated membranes or single macromolecules are directly adsorbed on C-coated grids. After rapid freezing the grids are transferred into a suitable vacuum equipment for freeze-drying and heavy metal shadowing.To improve the resolution power of shadowing films we introduced shadowing at very low specimen temperature (−250°C). To routinely do that without the danger of contamination we developed in collaboration with Balzers an UHV (p≤10-9 mbar) machine (BAF500K, Fig.2). It should be mentioned here that at −250°C the specimen surface acts as effective cryopump for practically all impinging residual gas molecules from the residual gas atmosphere.Common high resolution shadowing films (Pt/C, Ta/W) have to be protected from alterations due to air contact by a relatively thick C-backing layer, when transferred via atmospheric conditions into the TEM. Such an additional C-coat contributes disturbingly to the contrast at high resolution.


1991 ◽  
Vol 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neeta Agrawal ◽  
R. D. Tarey ◽  
K. L. Chopra

ABSTRACTArgon plasma exposure has been used to induce surface chemical modification of aluminium thin films, causing a drastic change in etch rate in standard HNO3/CH3COOH/H3PO4 etchant. The inhibition period was found to increase with power and Ar plasma exposure time. Auger electron and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopies have indicated formation of an aluminium fluoride (AlF3) surface layer due to fluorine contamination originating from the residue left in the plasma chamber during CF4 processing. The high etch selectivity between unexposed and argon plasma exposed regions has been exploited as a new technique for resistless patterning of aluminium.


2002 ◽  
Vol 716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor I. Kol'dyaev

AbstractIt is accepted that surface Ge atoms are considered to be responsible for the surface B segregation process. A set of original experiments is carried out. A main observation from the B and Ge profiles grown at different conditions shows that at certain conditions B is taking initiative and determine the Ge surface segregation process. basic assumptions are suggested to self-consistently explain these original experimental features and what is observed in the literature. These results have a strong implication for modeling the B diffusion in Si1-xGex where the initial conditions should be formulated accounting for the correlation in B and Ge distribution. A new assumption for the initial condition to be “all B atoms are captured by Ge” is regarded as a right one implicating that there is no any transient diffusion representing the B capturing kinetics.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document