3D Mapping of Subsurface Cracks in Alumina Using FIB
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3D mapping of subsurface cracks in alumina using FIB B.J. Inkson, H.Z. Wu, T. Steer and G. Möbus Dept. of Materials, Oxford University, Parks Road, Oxford, U.K. [email protected], http://users.ox.ac.uk/~inkson ABSTRACT A new method has been developed to map cracks in 3D using focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy. Using the FIB, many parallel 2D slices are cut in the specimen. Imaging each 2D slice down several directions enables the 3D co-ordinates of features in the slice to be determined. Computer alignment and reconstruction of the 2D slices generates a 3D data set of the analysed zone. The 3D mapping method has been applied to the analysis of the cracks around an indentation site in a Al2O3-5vol.%SiC nanocomposite. This reveals the 3D location and morphology of radial and deep lateral cracks at the indent periphery, surface localised crack clusters, and a crack deficient zone close to the indent centre. INTRODUCTION The engineering of materials on a sub-micron scale has made high spatial resolution analysis methods increasingly important to characterise local structural, chemical and property fluctuations. The use of highly focused ion beams (FIB) for site-specific materials analysis and nanoprocessing is a huge growth area. FIB is particularly useful because the site of analysis can be chosen with a spatial resolution of
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