Structure of Ion-Implanted Alloys with Long-Range Order in a Field Ion Microscope

In the present review we describe the series of investigations in which field ion microscopy is used to study the structural and phase changes in alloys with long-range order and in pure metals after ion implantation by different gas ions. It is demonstrated that ion implantation induces defects of different types spread to considerable depths from the irradiated surface that exceed many times the estimated ion mean free path. It is established that disordering and generation of various defects can be observed under irradiation of the ordered alloy surfaces. In PdCuAg alloys being supersaturated solid solutions, the irradiation provokes the intermittent decomposition. The structure of defects induced by ion implantation including disordered regions, dislocations, dislocation configurations, dislocation barriers, vacancy clusters, and segregations of one of the components is analyzed. The structure and sizes of these defects inside single cascades of displacements are determined.