Quantitative APT analysis of Ti(C,N)
Journal article, 2011

A specially produced Ti(C,N) standard material, with a known nominal composition, was investigated with laser assisted atom probe tomography. The occurrence of molecular ions and single/multiple events was found to be influenced by the laser pulse energy, and especially C related events were affected. Primarily two issues were considered when the composition of Ti(C,N) was determined. The first one is connected to detector efficiency, due to the detector dead-time. The second one is connected to peak overlap in the mass spectrum. A method is proposed for quantification of the C content in order to establish the C/N ratio. A correction was made to the major C peaks, C at 6 and 12 Da, with the 13C isotopes, at 6.5 and 13 Da, according to the known natural abundance. In addition, a correction of the peak at 24 Da, where C and Ti overlap, is proposed based on the occurrence of single/multiple events for respective element. The results were compared to the results from other techniques such as electron energy loss spectroscopy, chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction. After applying the corrections, atom probe tomography results were satisfactory. Furthermore, the content of dissolved O in Ti(C,N) was successfully quantified. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Author

Jenny Angseryd

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Microscopy and Microanalysis

Fang Liu

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Microscopy and Microanalysis

Hans-Olof Andrén

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Microscopy and Microanalysis

Stephan S A Gerstl

Imago Scientific Instruments

Mattias Thuvander

Chalmers, Applied Physics, Microscopy and Microanalysis

Ultramicroscopy

0304-3991 (ISSN) 1879-2723 (eISSN)

Vol. 111 6 609-614

Subject Categories

Analytical Chemistry

Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology

Areas of Advance

Materials Science

DOI

10.1016/j.ultramic.2011.01.031

More information

Created

10/6/2017