TY - JOUR
T1 - On the field evaporation behavior of a model Ni-Al-Cr superalloy studied by picosecond pulsed-laser atom-probe tomography
AU - Zhou, Yang
AU - Booth-Morrison, Christopher
AU - Seidman, David N.
PY - 2008/12
Y1 - 2008/12
N2 - The effects of varying the pulse energy of a picosecond laser used in the pulsed-laser atom-probe (PLAP) tomography of an as-quenched Ni-6.5 Al-9.5 Cr at.% alloy are assessed based on the quality of the mass spectra and the compositional accuracy of the technique. Compared to pulsed-voltage atom-probe tomography, PLAP tomography improves mass resolving power, decreases noise levels, and improves compositional accuracy. Experimental evidence suggests that Ni2+, Al2+, and Cr2+ ions are formed primarily by a thermally activated evaporation process, and not by post-ionization of the ions in the 1+ charge state. An analysis of the detected noise levels reveals that for properly chosen instrument parameters, there is no significant steady-state heating of the Ni-6.5 Al-9.5 Cr at.% tips during PLAP tomography.
AB - The effects of varying the pulse energy of a picosecond laser used in the pulsed-laser atom-probe (PLAP) tomography of an as-quenched Ni-6.5 Al-9.5 Cr at.% alloy are assessed based on the quality of the mass spectra and the compositional accuracy of the technique. Compared to pulsed-voltage atom-probe tomography, PLAP tomography improves mass resolving power, decreases noise levels, and improves compositional accuracy. Experimental evidence suggests that Ni2+, Al2+, and Cr2+ ions are formed primarily by a thermally activated evaporation process, and not by post-ionization of the ions in the 1+ charge state. An analysis of the detected noise levels reveals that for properly chosen instrument parameters, there is no significant steady-state heating of the Ni-6.5 Al-9.5 Cr at.% tips during PLAP tomography.
KW - Nickel-based superalloys
KW - Post-ionization
KW - Preferential evaporation
KW - Pulsed-laser atom-probe tomography
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U2 - 10.1017/S1431927608080963
DO - 10.1017/S1431927608080963
M3 - Article
C2 - 18986610
AN - SCOPUS:55749111963
SN - 1431-9276
VL - 14
SP - 571
EP - 580
JO - Microscopy and Microanalysis
JF - Microscopy and Microanalysis
IS - 6
ER -