Determination of the energy parameters of interstitial atoms and their complexes in metals

An analysis is made of the feasibility of doing field-ion microscopic studies of the stabilization (trapping) of interstitial atoms by impurity element atoms and of determining the temperature and energy parameters of this process, the stability of complexes of interstitial atoms with impurity atoms, and their mobility. An experimental procedure is developed for such studies. A theoretical method for analyzing the experimental results, which allows one to calculate the migration energies and the binding energies of complexes of interstitial atoms and impurities, is described. Methods for treating the evaporating action of the electric field in such experiments, adsorption of gas particles, thermal-field molding of the sample surface and possible features of the field-ion microscopic contrast created by the impurity atoms are studied and developed. Possible effects of sinks within the investigated volume of the sample on the quantitative results of the measurements are discussed. A philosophy of such investigations is elaborated, and their practical applications and significance are discussed