Atom-probe tomography analyses of niobium superconducting RF cavity materials

J. T. Sebastian; D. N. Seidman; K. E. Yoon; P. Bauer; T. Reid; C. Boffo; J. Norem

doi:10.1016/j.physc.2006.03.118

Atom-probe tomography analyses of niobium superconducting RF cavity materials

J. T. Sebastian, D. N. Seidman, K. E. Yoon^*, P. Bauer, T. Reid, C. Boffo, J. Norem

^*Corresponding author for this work

Materials Science and Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present the first atom-probe tomographic (APT) measurements of niobium superconducting RF (SCRF) cavity materials. APT involves the atom-by-atom dissection of sharply pointed niobium tips, along with their niobium oxide coatings, via the application of a high-pulsed electric field and the measurement of each ion's mass-to-charge state ratio (m/n) with time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. The resulting atomic reconstructions, typically containing at least 10⁵ atoms and with typical dimensions of 10⁵ nm³ (or less), show the detailed, nanoscale chemistry of the niobium oxide coatings, and of the underlying high-purity niobium metal. Our initial results show a nanochemically smooth transition through the oxide layer from near-stoichiometric Nb₂O₅ at the surface to near-stoichiometric Nb₂O as the underlying metal is approached (after ∼10 nm of surface oxide). The underlying metal, in the near-oxide region, contains a significant amount of interstitially dissolved oxygen (∼5-10 at.%), as well as a considerable amount of dissolved hydrogen. The experimental results are interpreted in light of current models of oxide and sub-oxide formation in the Nb-O system.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	70-74
Number of pages	5
Journal	Physica C: Superconductivity and its applications
Volume	441
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physc.2006.03.118
State	Published - Jul 15 2006

Funding

This research was sponsored by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. Atom-probe measurements were performed at the Northwestern University Center for Atom Probe Tomography (NUCAPT) and the LEAP microscope was purchased with funding from the NSF-MRI (DMR 0420532) and ONR-DURIP (N00014-0400798) programs. Supported in part by the USDOE and NSF.

Keywords

Atom-probe tomography
Niobium
Oxygen
Radio-frequency cavities

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.1016/j.physc.2006.03.118

Cite this

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title = "Atom-probe tomography analyses of niobium superconducting RF cavity materials",

abstract = "We present the first atom-probe tomographic (APT) measurements of niobium superconducting RF (SCRF) cavity materials. APT involves the atom-by-atom dissection of sharply pointed niobium tips, along with their niobium oxide coatings, via the application of a high-pulsed electric field and the measurement of each ion's mass-to-charge state ratio (m/n) with time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. The resulting atomic reconstructions, typically containing at least 105 atoms and with typical dimensions of 105 nm3 (or less), show the detailed, nanoscale chemistry of the niobium oxide coatings, and of the underlying high-purity niobium metal. Our initial results show a nanochemically smooth transition through the oxide layer from near-stoichiometric Nb2O5 at the surface to near-stoichiometric Nb2O as the underlying metal is approached (after ∼10 nm of surface oxide). The underlying metal, in the near-oxide region, contains a significant amount of interstitially dissolved oxygen (∼5-10 at.%), as well as a considerable amount of dissolved hydrogen. The experimental results are interpreted in light of current models of oxide and sub-oxide formation in the Nb-O system.",

keywords = "Atom-probe tomography, Niobium, Oxygen, Radio-frequency cavities",

author = "Sebastian, {J. T.} and Seidman, {D. N.} and Yoon, {K. E.} and P. Bauer and T. Reid and C. Boffo and J. Norem",

note = "Funding Information: This research was sponsored by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. Atom-probe measurements were performed at the Northwestern University Center for Atom Probe Tomography (NUCAPT) and the LEAP microscope was purchased with funding from the NSF-MRI (DMR 0420532) and ONR-DURIP (N00014-0400798) programs. Funding Information: Supported in part by the USDOE and NSF. ",

year = "2006",

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doi = "10.1016/j.physc.2006.03.118",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "441",

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T1 - Atom-probe tomography analyses of niobium superconducting RF cavity materials

AU - Sebastian, J. T.

AU - Seidman, D. N.

AU - Yoon, K. E.

AU - Bauer, P.

AU - Reid, T.

AU - Boffo, C.

AU - Norem, J.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was sponsored by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. Atom-probe measurements were performed at the Northwestern University Center for Atom Probe Tomography (NUCAPT) and the LEAP microscope was purchased with funding from the NSF-MRI (DMR 0420532) and ONR-DURIP (N00014-0400798) programs. Funding Information: Supported in part by the USDOE and NSF.

PY - 2006/7/15

Y1 - 2006/7/15

N2 - We present the first atom-probe tomographic (APT) measurements of niobium superconducting RF (SCRF) cavity materials. APT involves the atom-by-atom dissection of sharply pointed niobium tips, along with their niobium oxide coatings, via the application of a high-pulsed electric field and the measurement of each ion's mass-to-charge state ratio (m/n) with time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. The resulting atomic reconstructions, typically containing at least 105 atoms and with typical dimensions of 105 nm3 (or less), show the detailed, nanoscale chemistry of the niobium oxide coatings, and of the underlying high-purity niobium metal. Our initial results show a nanochemically smooth transition through the oxide layer from near-stoichiometric Nb2O5 at the surface to near-stoichiometric Nb2O as the underlying metal is approached (after ∼10 nm of surface oxide). The underlying metal, in the near-oxide region, contains a significant amount of interstitially dissolved oxygen (∼5-10 at.%), as well as a considerable amount of dissolved hydrogen. The experimental results are interpreted in light of current models of oxide and sub-oxide formation in the Nb-O system.

AB - We present the first atom-probe tomographic (APT) measurements of niobium superconducting RF (SCRF) cavity materials. APT involves the atom-by-atom dissection of sharply pointed niobium tips, along with their niobium oxide coatings, via the application of a high-pulsed electric field and the measurement of each ion's mass-to-charge state ratio (m/n) with time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry. The resulting atomic reconstructions, typically containing at least 105 atoms and with typical dimensions of 105 nm3 (or less), show the detailed, nanoscale chemistry of the niobium oxide coatings, and of the underlying high-purity niobium metal. Our initial results show a nanochemically smooth transition through the oxide layer from near-stoichiometric Nb2O5 at the surface to near-stoichiometric Nb2O as the underlying metal is approached (after ∼10 nm of surface oxide). The underlying metal, in the near-oxide region, contains a significant amount of interstitially dissolved oxygen (∼5-10 at.%), as well as a considerable amount of dissolved hydrogen. The experimental results are interpreted in light of current models of oxide and sub-oxide formation in the Nb-O system.

KW - Atom-probe tomography

KW - Niobium

KW - Oxygen

KW - Radio-frequency cavities

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ER -

Atom-probe tomography analyses of niobium superconducting RF cavity materials

Abstract

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Keywords

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