Quantitative Characterization by Transmission Electron Microscopy and Its Application to Interfacial Phenomena in Crystalline Materials.

This paper reviews quantitative characterization via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and its application to interfacial phenomena based on the results obtained through the studies. Several signals generated by the interaction between the specimen and the electron beam with a probe size of less than 1 nm are utilized for a quantitative analysis, which yields considerable chemical and physical information. This review describes several phenomena near the interfaces, e.

Direct Characterization of the Relation between the Mechanical Response and Microstructure Evolution in Aluminum by Transmission Electron Microscopy In Situ Straining.

Transmission electron microscopy in situ straining experiments of Al single crystals with different initial lattice defect densities have been performed. The as-focused ion beam (FIB)-processed pillar sample contained a high density of prismatic dislocation loops with the <111> Burgers vector, while the post-annealed specimen had an almost defect-free microstructure. In both specimens, plastic deformation occurred with repetitive stress drops (∆).

First-principles study of electronic structures and stability of body-centered cubic Ti-Mo alloys by special quasirandom structures.

The electronic structures and structural properties of body-centered cubic Ti-Mo alloys were studied by first-principles calculations. The special quasirandom structures (SQS) model was adopted to emulate the solid solution state of the alloys. The valence band electronic structures of Ti-Mo and Ti-Mo-Fe alloys were measured by hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Transmission electron microscopy/electron energy loss spectroscopy measurements and calculation of local magnetic moments at nickel grain boundaries.

We have determined local magnetic moments at nickel grain boundaries using a transmission electron microscopy/electron energy loss spectroscopy method assuming that the magnetic moment of Ni atoms is a linear function of the L/L (white-line ratio) in the energy loss spectrum. The average magnetic moment measured in the grain interior was 0.55 , which agrees well with the calculated magnetic moment of pure nickel (0.

Identification of crack path of inter- and transgranular fractures in sintered silicon nitride by in situ TEM.

Inter- and/or transgranular crack paths in sintered silicon nitride (Si3N4) during fracture were investigated by in situ straining experiments in a transmission electron microscope at room temperature, using a high-precision micro-indenter. By this technique, cracks introduced in an in situ manner were observed to propagate in the grain interior and along grain boundaries. High-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) observation revealed that the crack propagation takes place at an interface between Si3N4 grains and an intergranular glassy film (IGF) in the case of intergranular fractures.