Abstract
The technique of channeling scanning transmission ion microscopy (CSTIM) can be used to produce images of individual crystal defects (such as dislocations and stacking faults) using the scanned, focused ion beam from a nuclear microprobe. As well as offering a new method for studies of crystal defects, this technique can be used to investigate the effects of single defects on the channeling process. This paper describes some of the characteristics of the CSTIM technique, such as its ability to image large areas of a crystal, to image under thin, amorphous surface layers and to image defects on the back surface of 50 μm thick crystals. An unexpected effect seen in CSTIM images of stacking faults, namely the ability of faults to convert ions on blocked trajectories into well-channeled ones, is described to illustrate the use of CSTIM for channeled ion-defect interaction studies.
Published Version
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