Overview No. 133 - Atom probe microanalysis and nanoscale microstructures in metallic materials

An atom probe field ion microscope (APFIM) is a unique microanalytical instrument with a single atom detection sensitivity. By employing a three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP), alloying elements can be mapped out in a three-dimensional space with near-atomic resolution. APFIM is particularly useful for the analysis of solute clusters and small precipitate particles, because it can collect atoms exclusively from nanoscale particles embedded in a matrix. These features are suitable for characterizing the complicated microstructures in commercial metallic materials. Recent atom probe investigations on the nanoscale microstructures of the metallic materials are overviewed to demonstrate the unique feature of the APFIM technique. (C) 1999 Acta Metallurgica Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.