In situ observation of the formation of Fe3O4 in Fe4N (001) due to electron irradiation.
gamma(')-Fe4N was subjected to electron irradiation with the dose rate of 6.8 x 10(23)e m(-2) s(-1) in a 400 kV transmission electron microscope. The first in situ observation of the formation of Fe3O4 (O) on Fe4N (gamma(')) with the orientation relationship of [100](O) parallel [100](gamma(')) and <001>(O) parallel <001>(gamma(')) has been made inside the microscope with the basic column vacuum of (5-6) x 10(-5) Pa. A mechanism is proposed involving the electron-stimulated dissociation of Fe-N chemical bonds, desorption of nitrogen from the surface, adsorption of oxygen to the surface, and the oxidization of excessive metallic iron on the surface.
Liu
Z Q
ZQ
Nanomaterials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0003, Japan. LIU.Zhiquan@nims.go.jp
Hashimoto
H
H
Sukedai
E
E
Song
M
M
Mitsuishi
K
K
Furuya
K
K