Characterization of defects in tabular silver halide grains

Abstract

Silver halide grains (AgX, X=Cl,Br,I) are commonly recognized as important entities in photographic applications. Depending on the preparation specifications one can grow cubic, octahedral, tabular a.o. morphologies, each with its own physical and chemical characteristics. In the present study crystallographic defects introduced by the mixing of 5-20% iodide in a growing AgBr tabular grain are investigated. X-ray diffractometry reveals the existence of a homogeneous Ag(Br1-xIx) region, expected to be formed around the AgBr kernel. In fig. 1 a two-beam BF image, taken at T≈100 K to diminish radiation damage, of a triangular tabular grain is presented, clearly showing defect contrast fringes along four of the six directions; the remaining two sides show similar contrast under relevant diffraction conditions. The width of the central defect free region corresponds with the pure AgBr kernel grown before the mixing with I. The thickness of a given grain lies between 0.15 and 0.3 μm: as indicated in fig. 2 triangular (resp. hexagonal) grains exhibit an uneven (resp. even) number of twin interfaces (i.e., between + and - twin variants) parallel with the (111) surfaces. The thickness of the grains and the existence of the twin variants was confirmed from CTEM images of perpendicular cuts.