Microstructural characterisation of a commercial Al–Cu–Mg alloy combining transmission electron microscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy

Transmission electron microscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy techniques were used to characterise the microstructure of the 2024 Al–Cu–Mg commercial alloy artificially aged with and without pre-deformation. In non-deformed samples, a very dense dispersion of small, needle-shaped particles, with mean size in the order of the nanometres, was observed homogeneously distributed in the matrix, together with a coarse distribution of S-phase precipitates. In pre-deformed samples, the needle-shape particles were not seen, only a high density of S-phase precipitates nucleated on dislocations. The needle-shaped particles were identified as solute-rich Guinier–Preston–Bagaryatski (GPB) zones by combining coincidence Doppler broadening positron annihilation measurements with TEM imaging. The relationship between the microstructure and measurements of hardness and positron lifetime evolution during artificial ageing is also discussed.     

Tunable monoenergy positron annihilation spectroscopy of polyethylene glycol thin films

Doppler broadening and coincidence Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation experiments have been performed in three kinds of polyethylene glycol(PEG) membrane formed with different average molecular weight using the tunable monoenergy slow positron probe as a function of implantion energy. The obtained positron annihilation parameters are interpreted from two aspects: surface effect and differences in micro-structure or chemical environment of positron annihilation. The experimental results show that the regulation of densification of PEG molecular packing and distribution uniformity from the near surface layer to the bulk region in the film forming process can be well realized by changing its molecular weight. Combining a variable monoenergetic slow positron beam and these two positron annihilation spectroscopy methods is a powerful tool to study positron annihilation characteristics and for polymeric thin-film fine structure analysis.     

Positron annihilation in Sn fine particles

It was found that positron annihilation mechanisms in Sn fine particles fall into two categories: annihilation with electrons inside the particles and that from particle surface trapped states.     

Al-4%Ag合金中Ag原子偏析的低温正电子湮没参数研究

分别研究了823 K淬火处理和20%形变量的Al-4%Ag低温下Ag析出物对正电子的捕获行为的变化。采用正电子湮没寿命谱(PALS)技术和符合多普勒展宽能谱(CDBS)在温度范围10~293 K内对其进行表征。多普勒展宽能谱结果表明2种样品中均存在Ag析出物。正电子寿命谱的解谱结果中的各组分给出了Ag析出物随测量温度的变化规律。在170 ~273 K之间,正电子湮没行为具有较强的温度依赖性。但对于两个具有不同类型缺陷的样品,在低于170 K时观察到样品中Ag析出物捕获正电子能力出现了差异。随着测量温度的降低,淬火样品中的Ag析出物的正电子寿命和强度基本不变。在低于170 K的测量中,形变样品中的Ag析出物对正电子的捕获能力仍旧存在着较强的温度依赖性,但是变化幅度在逐渐减弱。当测量温度提升到室温(273~293 K),越来越多的正电子从Ag析出物中逃逸,逐渐回到自由状态或被其他深陷阱所捕获,失去了对温度的依赖性。     

Early precipitation stages of aluminum alloys—The role of quenched-in vacancies

We present preliminary results on the structure of nano-sized particles (clusters of solute atoms or Guinier-Preston-Bagaryatsky (GPB) zones) in aluminum alloys. Hindering the motion of dislocations, these GPB zones (precipitates) are responsible for the strength of AlCuMg-alloys - used e.g. as AA2024 - for the outer shell plates in aircraft industry. We will discuss the role of quenched-in vacancies for the formation and growth of the precipitates. Using positron annihilation (Doppler broadening together with the recently developed tool of high-momentum analysis (HMA)) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements, we are able to characterize the local atomic environment in the vicinity of vacancies and selected elements (Cu) forming the precipitates. The interpretation will be based on a comparison to numerical calculations of positron lifetimes and momentum distributions as well as simulated X-ray absorption spectra. Often reliable numerical calculations of experimental quantities are possible only if relaxed atomic positions - calculated employing an ab-initio code like SIESTA - are used as input.     

Vacancy–solute interactions during ageing of a cold-worked Mg–RE-based alloy

The vacancy–solute interactions during artificial ageing at 250^○C of cold worked samples of a commercial magnesium alloy WE54 (Mg–RE based) were studied by coincidence Doppler broadening of positron annihilation radiation and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The results show that, in the as-cold-worked state, the vacancies are associated with dislocations that are generated by the cold work and that, after artificial ageing at 250^○C, the vacancies are associated with solute elements and help the formation of precipitate precursors. This mechanism accelerates the formation of hardening precipitates without any apparent changes in the precipitation sequence and in the products of the decomposition of the supersaturated solid solution. The present study demonstrates that the stronger hardening response achieved in the cold-worked samples originates from the presence of a higher concentration of vacancies that is introduced by the cold work and is retained in the first few minutes of ageing.     

Momentum distribution in benzene: A comparison of compton scattering and positron annihilation

Probabilities in momentum space for the benzene molecule are calculated for two cases: An ordinary benzene molecule, and benzene with a bound positron which is coalesced with one of the electrons. The former probability is related to the Compton scattering profile; the latter, to angular correlation measurements made in positron annihilation experiments. In this work we make two comparisons on the basis of quantum mechanical calculations; a) between Compton scattering and positron annihilation results, and b) among the several possible positron annihilation results associated with different symmetries for the positronic molecular orbital (PMO). The Compton scattering results are found to be similar to the positron annihilation results for the more symmetrical PMOs; and all these are quite different from the positron annihilation results for the less symmetrical PMOs. A suggestion for a crucial experiment is made.     

AA 2037新型连铸铝合金热轧板退火的正电子湮没研究

应用正电子湮没等技术对AA 2037连铸铝合金热轧板不同温度退火下空位-溶质相互作用及沉淀相进行了研究， 研究表明：室温时效形成的主要是空位-铜复合体以及空位-镁-铜复合体；温度为200℃退火时由于过渡相的形成正电子平均寿命出现峰值，符合多普勒展宽谱的商谱中观察到锰信号的存在，表明形成了空位-镁-锰复合体或过渡相中可能存在锰；温度高于250℃时，随着过渡相变粗、溶解，锰信号消失，而铜信号增强，在350℃后铜信号达到饱和，温度为450℃左右时，稳定相形成. 关键词： 正电子湮没技术 空位-溶质复合体 沉淀 退火     

Effective concentration of electrons in metals upon measurements via positron annihilation spectroscopy

Calculations are performed together with the summarization of published data on the measurement of positron annihilation rates in a number of simple substances. The information potential of different methods underlying positron annihilation spectroscopy is analyzed as applied to the study of condensed matter. The features of the mechanism of positron annihilation in metals are discussed. The possibility of investigating the electronic and defect structures of metals and alloys using the method of the time distribution of annihilation photons is considered.     

Hg1-xCdxTe晶体缺陷的正电子湮没寿命

利用正电子(e⁺)湮没寿命谱实验研究了Hg_1-xCd_xTe晶体样品的空位缺陷.碲溶剂法生长的样品，不论是n型导电还是p型导电都存在大量的Hg空位.经过合适的退火工艺，p型材料转为n型，同时对正电子的俘获效应减小，表现为正电子湮没平均寿命值减小14—17ps.若退火温度高于350℃，正电子湮没寿命值又增大，表明Hg空位浓度增加.得到HgCdTe中正电子的体寿命为τ_b=272ps.根据正电子湮没寿命和电参数的测量结果，得出 关键词：     

Positron annihilation in molecules by capture into vibrational Feshbach resonances of infrared-active modes

Enhanced positron annihilation on polyatomic molecules is a long-standing and complex problem. We report the results of calculations of resonant positron annihilation on methyl halides. A free parameter of our theory is the positron binding energy. A comparison with energy-resolved annihilation rates measured for CH3F, CH3Cl, and CH3Br [L. D. Barnes, Phys. Rev. A 74, 012706 (2006)10.1103/PhysRevA.74.012706] shows good agreement and yields estimates of the binding energies.     

聚氨酯离聚体微畴体积的研究

本文用聚氨酯离聚体材料作X射线小角度散射实验,同时还作了正电子湮没及比重法测量材料密度的辅助实验,以研究聚氨酯离聚体微畴体积随金属离子价改变。实验结果表明,随着金属离子价数的增加,反离子半径增大,微畴的体积增大,致使材料的密度增大,自由体积相应减小。 关键词：     

Applications of slow positrons to cancer research: Search for selectivity of positron annihilation to skin cancer

Slow positrons and positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) have been applied to medical research in searching for positron annihilation selectivity to cancer cells. We report the results of positron lifetime and Doppler broadening energy spectroscopies in human skin samples with and without cancer as a function of positron incident energy (up to 8 μm depth) and found that the positronium annihilates at a significantly lower rate and forms at a lower probability in the samples having either basal cell carcinoma (BCC) or squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) than in the normal skin. The significant selectivity of positron annihilation to skin cancer may open a new research area of developing positron annihilation spectroscopy as a novel medical tool to detect cancer formation externally and non-invasively at the early stages.     

Dislocation driven chromium precipitation in Fe-9Cr binary alloy: a positron lifetime study

The influence of initial heat treatment on anomalous Cr precipitation within high temperature solubility region of the Fe–9Cr alloy has been investigated using positron lifetime studies. Air-quenched samples with pre-existing dislocations exhibited a distinct annealing stage in positron lifetime between 800 and 1100?K corresponding to Cr-precipitation. During this stage, Transmission Electron Microscopy showed fine precipitates of average size 4 nm, dispersed throughout the sample and from Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis they are found to be Cr-enriched. The presence of dislocations is found to be responsible for Cr precipitation.     

Effects of damage rate on Cu precipitation in Fe–Cu model alloys under neutron irradiation

The formation of Cu precipitates and point defect clusters was investigated in two Fe–Cu binary model alloys, Fe–0.3Cu and Fe–0.6Cu, irradiated at 573?K at three different damage rates, namely 3.8?×?10^?10, 1.5?×?10^?8 and 5?×?10^?8?dpa (displacements per atom)/s, up to about 1.6?×?10^?2?dpa. Results of positron annihilation experiments indicated that Cu precipitates were formed in these irradiations with different damage rates. The growth of Cu precipitates does not increase monotonously with increasing irradiation dose, but it rather depends on the nucleation and growth of microvoids. It is also clear that the nucleation and growth of microvoids are influenced by the irradiation dose rate.     

Positron annihilation in large polyatomic molecules. The role of vibrational Feshbach resonances and binding

We analyse the process of rapid positron annihilation in large polyatomic molecules due to positron capture into vibrational Feshbach resonances. Resonant annihilation occurs in molecules which can bind positrons, and we analyse positron binding to alkanes using zero-range potentials. Related questions of spectra of annihilation gamma quanta and molecular fragmentation following annihilation, are discussed briefly.     

碳纳米管束中的正电子理论

采用中性原子叠加模型和有限差分方法(SNA-FD)计算了大范围内不同管径的单壁碳纳米管束中的正电子情况，发现对于单壁碳纳米管束，正电子的主要湮没区域，湮没对象和正电子寿命随碳纳米管管径的不同而发生规律性变化.计算得到管径范围在0.8—1.6nm的碳纳米管束的正电子寿命范围为332—470ps，与实验测得的394ps符合较好.     

化合物半导体材料的正电子寿命计算

在局域密度理论（LDA）和广义梯度理论（GGA）的基础上计算了ZnO,GaN,GaAs,SiC和InP五种化合物半导体材料中的正电子湮没信息,包括化合物半导体材料中的自由态正电子的湮没寿命;还有不同类型空位（单空位,双空位）附近俘获的束缚态正电子密度分布和湮没率分布,以及束缚态正电子的湮没寿命. 关键词： 半导体 正电子寿命     

正电子湮没参量及其所反映物质信息的探讨

本根据正电子在凝聚态物质中的湮没机制及捕获模型,讨论了正电子湮没参量——正电子寿命谱和多普勒线形等参量所反映的物质信息,给出了各正电子湮没参量与所反映的物质信息之间的定量关系。分析了在该体系中正电子寿命参量与局域电子密度、多普勒线形参量和角关联参量与电子动量密度分布和费米面之关联。     

碳同素异形体中的正电子理论

在密度函数理论的基础上,采用中性原子叠加模型和有限差分方法(SNA-FD)计算了石墨,金刚石和C60这三种碳的同素异形体中的正电子分布和湮没情况. 计算表明,在片层结构的石墨晶体中,正电子主要在石墨层间的空隙中湮没,计算出的石墨中的正电子寿命为208ps,与文献中的实验结果210ps符合很好. 在金刚石单晶中,正电子主要在碳原子之间的空隙中存在并发生湮没,计算出的金刚石中的正电子寿命为1159ps,与文献中的实验结果110ps相符合;在面心立方结构的C60晶体中,正电子主要在C60分子球壳内外侧及分子之 关键词： 石墨 金刚石 C60 正电子寿命