Identification of light elements in silicon nitride by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy.
In silicon nitride structural ceramics, the overall mechanical and thermal properties are controlled by the atomic and electronic structures at the interface between the ceramic grains and the amorphous intergranular films (IGFs) formed by various sintering additives. In the last ten years the atomic arrangements of heavy elements (rare-earths) at the Si(3)N(4)/IGF interfaces have been resolved. However, the atomic position of light elements, without which it is not possible to obtain a complete description of the interfaces, has been lacking. This review article details the authors' efforts to identify the atomic arrangement of light elements such as nitrogen and oxygen at the Si(3)N(4)/SiO(2) interface and in bulk Si(3)N(4) using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy.
Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA. idrobojc@ornl.gov
Juan C
JC
Idrobo
Weronika
W
Walkosz
Robert F
RF
Klie
Serdar
S
Oğüt
D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry*; D004602:Elements; D008027:Light; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*
D004602:Elements; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D009584:Nitrogen; C032734:silicon nitride; D010100:Oxygen