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Automated Atom-By-Atom Three-Dimensional (3D) Reconstruction of Field Ion Microscopy Data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 March 2017

Michal Dagan ,
Baptiste Gault Open the ORCID record for Baptiste Gault [Opens in a new window] ,
George D. W. Smith ,
Paul A. J. Bagot  and
Michael P. Moody
Michal Dagan
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PHUK
Baptiste Gault
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PHUK Max Planck Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck Straße 1, 40237 Düsseldorf, Germany
George D. W. Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PHUK
Paul A. J. Bagot
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PHUK
Michael P. Moody*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PHUK
*
*Corresponding author. michael.moody@materials.ox.ac.uk
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Abstract

An automated procedure has been developed for the reconstruction of field ion microscopy (FIM) data that maintains its atomistic nature. FIM characterizes individual atoms on the specimen’s surface, evolving subject to field evaporation, in a series of two-dimensional (2D) images. Its unique spatial resolution enables direct imaging of crystal defects as small as single vacancies. To fully exploit FIM’s potential, automated analysis tools are required. The reconstruction algorithm developed here relies on minimal assumptions and is sensitive to atomic coordinates of all imaged atoms. It tracks the atoms across a sequence of images, allocating each to its respective crystallographic plane. The result is a highly accurate 3D lattice-resolved reconstruction. The procedure is applied to over 2000 tungsten atoms, including ion-implanted planes. The approach is further adapted to analyze carbides in a steel matrix, demonstrating its applicability to a range of materials. A vast amount of information is collected during the experiment that can underpin advanced analyses such as automated detection of “out of sequence” events, subangstrom surface displacements and defects effects on neighboring atoms. These analyses have the potential to reveal new insights into the field evaporation process and contribute to improving accuracy and scope of 3D FIM and atom probe characterization.

Keywords

field ion microscopy3D reconstructionatomic resolutioncrystal defects
Type
Reconstruction
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 23 , Special Issue 2: Atom Probe Tomography & Microscopy 2016 , April 2017 , pp. 255 - 268
Copyright
© Microscopy Society of America 2017 

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