An atom probe field ion microscope characterization of precipitates in a model vanadium alloy

In this paper, the high resolution analytical technique of atom probe field ion microscopy (APFIM) is used to determine the composition of the precipitates that form during thermal aging of a model vanadium alloy. The APFIM is particularly well suited to this type of fine scale characterization since it is able to detect and quantify all elements with equal sensitivity. Hence, composition measurements of the lighter elements can be made with great precision as compared to other conventional techniques. The present study is the first APFIM characterization of precipitates in a vanadium alloy, although the technique has been previously applied to study the metal/oxide interface in pure vanadium. The details of the instrument and its various applications are well documented. In addition, TEM data are presented to complement the chemical and structural information obtained from APFIM