Fine-grain numerical computations in dynamic SMP clusters with communication on the fly

INTRODUCTIONThe prospect of performing chemical analysis of thin specimens at any desired level of resolution is particularly appealing to the materials scientist. Commercial TEM-based systems are now available which virtually provide this capability. The purpose of this contribution is to illustrate its application to problems which would have been intractable until recently, pointing out some current limitations.X-RAY ANALYSISIn an attempt to fabricate superconducting materials with high critical currents and temperature, thin Nb3Sn films have been prepared by electron beam vapor deposition [1]. Fine-grain size material is desirable which may be achieved by codeposition with small amounts of Al2O3 . Figure 1 shows the STEM microstructure, with large (∽ 200 Å dia) voids present at the grain boundaries. Higher quality TEM micrographs (e.g. fig. 2) reveal the presence of small voids within the grains which are absent in pure Nb3Sn prepared under identical conditions. The X-ray spectrum from large (∽ lμ dia) or small (∽100 Ǻ dia) areas within the grains indicates only small amounts of A1 (fig.3).

Download Full-text

Superior 2X2 Slides

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100114414 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 158-159

Author(s):

Harry Schaefer ◽

Bruce Wetzel

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

High Resolution ◽

Black And White ◽

Fine Grain ◽

White Film

High resolution 24mm X 36mm positive transparencies can be made from original black and white negatives produced by SEM, TEM, and photomicrography with ease, convenience, and little expense. The resulting 2in X 2in slides are superior to 3¼in X 4in lantern slides for storage, transport, and sturdiness, and projection equipment is more readily available. By mating a 35mm camera directly to an enlarger lens board (Fig. 1), one combines many advantages of both. The negative is positioned and illuminated with the enlarger and then focussed and photographed with the camera on a fine grain black and white film.Specifically, a Durst Laborator 138 S 5in by 7in enlarger with 240/200 condensers and a 500 watt Opale bulb (Ehrenreich Photo-Optical Industries, Inc., New York, NY) is rotated to the horizontal and adjusted for comfortable eye level viewing.

Download Full-text

Microstructure Development in a High Current Density NbTi Superconducting Composite

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010011790x ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 186-189

Author(s):

P. J. Lee ◽

D. C. Larbalestier

Keyword(s):

Current Density ◽

High Current Density ◽

Cold Drawing ◽

Heat Treatments ◽

Grain Structure ◽

Fine Grain ◽

Boundary Film ◽

Quantitative Basis ◽

Cold Worked ◽

Very High

Several features of the metallurgy of superconducting composites of Nb-Ti in a Cu matrix are of interest. The cold drawing strains are generally of order 8-10, producing a very fine grain structure of diameter 30-50 nm. Heat treatments of as little as 3 hours at 300 C (∼ 0.27 TM) produce a thin (1-3 nm) Ti-rich grain boundary film, the precipitate later growing out at triple points to 50-100 nm dia. Further plastic deformation of these larger a-Ti precipitates by strains of 3-4 produces an elongated ribbon morphology (of order 3 x 50 nm in transverse section) and it is the thickness and separation of these precipitates which are believed to control the superconducting properties. The present paper describes initial attempts to put our understanding of the metallurgy of these heavily cold-worked composites on a quantitative basis. The composite studied was fabricated in our own laboratory, using six intermediate heat treatments. This process enabled very high critical current density (Jc) values to be obtained. Samples were cut from the composite at many processing stages and a report of the structure of a number of these samples is made here.

Download Full-text

High-resolution observation of sintered alumina (Al2O3) using the specimen-heated and electron-beam-induced conductivity method in a UHR-SEM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100172966 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

pp. 1046-1047

Author(s):

K. Ogura ◽

T. Suzuki ◽

C. Nielsen

Keyword(s):

Electron Beam ◽

High Resolution ◽

Specimen Preparation ◽

Conductivity Method ◽

Fine Grain ◽

Grain Structures ◽

Resolution Observation ◽

Electron Microscopes ◽

Scanning Electron Microscopes ◽

Charging Effect

In spite of the complicated specimen preparation, Transmission Electron Microscopes (TEM) have traditionally been used for the investigation of the fine grain structures of sintered ceramics. Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) have not been used much for the same purpose as TEM because of poor results caused by the specimen charging effect, and also the lack of sufficient resolution. Here, we are presenting a successful result of high resolution imaging of sintered alumina (pure Al2O3) using the Specimen Heated and Electron Beam Induced Conductivity (SHEBIC) method, which we recently reported, in an ultrahigh resolution SEM (UHR-SEM). The JSM-6000F, equipped with a Field Emission Gun (FEG) and an in-lens specimen position, was used for this application.After sintered Al2O3 was sliced into a piece approximately 0.5 mm in thickness, one side was mechanically polished to get a shiny plane for the observation. When the observation was started at 20 kV, an enormous charging effect occured, and it was impossible to obtain a clear Secondary Electron (SE) image (Fig.1).

Download Full-text