Atom probe tomography of lithium-doped network glasses

Gerd-Hendrik Greiwe; Zoltan Balogh; Guido Schmitz

doi:10.1016/j.ultramic.2014.03.007

Atom probe tomography of lithium-doped network glasses

Ultramicroscopy. 2014 Jun:141:51-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2014.03.007. Epub 2014 Mar 21.

Authors

Gerd-Hendrik Greiwe¹, Zoltan Balogh², Guido Schmitz²

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Materials Physics, University of Münster, Wilhelm-Klemm-Str. 10, D-48149 Münster, Germany. Electronic address: g_grei01@uni-muenster.de.
² Institute of Material Science, University of Stuttgart, Heisenberg Straße 3, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany.

PMID: 24713345
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2014.03.007

Abstract

Li-doped silicate and borate glasses are electronically insulating, but provide considerable ionic conductivity. Under measurement conditions of laser-assisted atom probe tomography, mobile Li ions are redistributed in response to high electric fields. In consequence, the direct interpretation of measured composition profiles is prevented. It is demonstrated that composition profiles are nevertheless well understood by a complex model taking into account the electronic structure of dielectric materials, ionic mobility and field screening. Quantitative data on band bending and field penetration during measurement are derived which are important in understanding laser-assisted atom probe tomography of dielectric materials.

Keywords: Atom probe tomography; Band bending; Dielectric materials; Ionic transport; Laser-assisted field evaporation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't