Chemical identity of atoms using core electron annihilations

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is a sensitive probe for studying the electronic structure of defects in solids. The high momentum part of the Doppler-broadened annihilation spectra can be used to distinguish different elements. This is achieved by using a new two-detector coincidence system and by imposing appropriate kinematic cuts to exclude background events. The new setup improves the peak to background ratio in the annihilation spectrum to {approximately}10{sup 5}. As a result, the line shape variations arising from different core electrons can be studied. The new approach adds elemental specificity to the Doppler broadening technique, and is useful in studying elemental variations around a defect site. Results from several case studies are reviewed

Advances in defect characterizations of semiconductors using positrons

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (PAS) is a sensitive probe for studying the electronic structure of defects in solids. The authors summarize recent developments in defect characterization of semiconductors using depth-resolved PAS. The progress achieved in extending the capabilities of the PAS method is also described

Detection of Corrosion‐Related Defects in Aluminum Using Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy

Near‐surface atomic‐scale defects in aluminum foils of at least 99.98% purity were characterized with positron annihilation spectroscopy measurements of the Doppler‐broadening parameter S. Profiles of S vs. positron beam energy (i.e., vs. depth into the sample) were analyzed with a model for positron diffusion and trapping in order to characterize the defect layer structure. As‐received foils were shown to possess a defect layer within 10 to 100 nm of the oxide film/metal interface. Both dissolution in aqueous sodium hydroxide solution and anodic pitting corrosion in caused significant changes in the position spectra which were interpreted as increases in the defect population. On the basis of isochronal annealing, the defects were impurity‐complexed voids or vacancy clusters, or else interfacial voids at the metal/film boundary located at surface roughness features. Either case suggests a possible role for the defects as pit sites, since both near‐surface impurities and surface roughness are known to influence the number of pits on a surface. Defects found after pitting may be present in layers surrounding individual pits, and might have been produced in the process of pit initiation

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy Study of Interfacial Defects Formed by Anodic Oxidation of Aluminum

Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) measurements were carried out to characterize open-volume defects associated with anodic oxidation of aluminum. The annihilation fractions with low and high momentum electrons (S and W spectral lineshape parameters, respectively) of the annihilation photopeak were determined, as a function of the positron beam energy. A subsurface defect layer, containing nanometer-scale voids in the metal near the metal/oxide film interface, was found after oxide growth, and was shown to contain new voids created by anodizing. Such interfacial voids in the metal are of interest because of their possible role as corrosion initiation sites. The Sparameter characterizing the defect-containing layer (Sd) was obtained by simulation of the S-energy profiles. On samples with two different surface conditions, Sd remained constant at its initial value during anodizing. Because Sd is related to the void volume fraction in the interfacial metallic layer containing the voids, that result suggests that formation of metallic voids, and their subsequent incorporation into the growing oxide layer, occurred repeatedly at specific favored sites. © 2003 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved

Shock Hugoniot of Single Crystal Copper

The shock Hugoniot of single crystal copper is reported for stresses below 66 GPa. Symmetric impact experiments were used to measure the Hugoniots of three different crystal orientations of copper, [100], [110], [111]. The photonic doppler velocimetry (PDV) diagnostic was adapted into a very high precision time of arrival detector for these experiments. The measured Hugoniots along all three crystal directions were nearly identical to the experimental Hugoniot for polycrystalline Cu. The predicted orientation dependence of the Hugoniot from MD calculations was not observed. At the lowest stresses, the sound speed in Cu was extracted from the PDV data. The measured sound speeds are in agreement with values calculated from the elastic constants for Cu

Materials analysis using positron beam lifetime spectroscopy

We are using a defect analysis capabilities based on two positron beam lifetime spectrometers: the first is based on a 3 MeV electrostatic accelerator and the second on our high current linac beam. The high energy beam lifetime spectrometer is routinely used to perform positron lifetime analysis with a 3 MeV positron beam on thick sample specimens. It is being used for bulk sample analysis and analysis of samples encapsulated in controlled environments for in situ measurements. A second, low energy, microscopically focused, pulsed positron beam for defect analysis by positron lifetime spectroscopy is under development at the LLNL high current positron source. This beam will enable defect-specific, 3-dimensional maps of defect concentration with sub-micron location resolution. When coupled with first principles calculations of defect specific positron lifetimes it will enable new levels of defect concentration mapping and defect identification

CHARACTERIZATION OF PLASTICALLY-INDUCED STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN A Zr-BASED BULK METALLIC GLASS USING POSITRON ANNIHILATION SPECTROCOPY

Flow in metallic glasses is associated with stress-induced cooperative rearrangements of small groups of atoms involving the surrounding free volume. Understanding the details of these rearrangements therefore requires knowledge of the amount and distribution of the free volume and how that distribution evolves with deformation. The present study employs positron annihilation spectroscopy to investigate the free volume change in Zr{sub 58.5}Cu{sub 15.6}Ni{sub 12.8}Al{sub 10.3}Nb{sub 2.8} bulk metallic glass after inhomogeneous plastic deformation by cold rolling and structural relaxation by annealing. Results indicate that the size distribution of open volume sites is at least bimodal. The size and concentration of the larger group, identified as flow defects, changes with processing. Following initial plastic deformation the size of the flow defects increases, consistent with the free volume theory for flow. Following more extensive deformation, however, the size distribution of the positron traps shifts, with much larger open volume sites forming at the expense of the flow defects. This suggests that a critical strain is required for flow defects to coalesce and form more stable nanovoids, which have been observed elsewhere by high resolution TEM. Although these results suggest the presence of three distinct open volume size groups, further analysis indicates that all groups have the same line shape parameter. This is in contrast to the distinctly different interactions observed in crystalline materials with multiple defect types. This similarity may be due to the disordered structure of the glass and positron affinity to particular atoms surrounding open-volume regions

Two-detector Doppler broadening profiles in Al

Low-background Doppler broadening profiles have been measured in Al. The KKR methodology has been used to calculate the profile and study the effect of positron-electron correlation

Defect Characterization in SiGe/SOI Epitaxial Semiconductors by Positron Annihilation

The potential of positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) for defect characterization at the atomic scale in semiconductors has been demonstrated in thin multilayer structures of SiGe (50 nm) grown on UTB (ultra-thin body) SOI (silicon-on-insulator). A slow positron beam was used to probe the defect profile. The SiO2/Si interface in the UTB-SOI was well characterized, and a good estimation of its depth has been obtained. The chemical analysis indicates that the interface does not contain defects, but only strongly localized charged centers. In order to promote the relaxation, the samples have been submitted to a post-growth annealing treatment in vacuum. After this treatment, it was possible to observe the modifications of the defect structure of the relaxed film. Chemical analysis of the SiGe layers suggests a prevalent trapping site surrounded by germanium atoms, presumably Si vacancies associated with misfit dislocations and threading dislocations in the SiGe films

Resonant versus nonresonant nuclear excitation of 115 In by positron annihilation

We have measured the resonant cross section σn for nuclear excitation of 115In via the radiationless annihilation of a positron with a K-shell electron using a monoenergetic positron beam and a thin In target. We find an upper limit on the resonant cross section σn<4.3×10−26cm2 at a 99% confidence level, compared to the cross section σβ=1.7×10−25cm2 determined by two previous measurements of nuclear excitation of 115In using the broad spectrum of positrons from the beta decay of 64Cu. Together these results imply the existence of a hitherto unidentified nonresonant channel for nuclear excitation via energetic positrons.Physic