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Transmission electron backscatter diffraction (t-EBSD) was used to investigate the effect of dealloying on the microstructure of 140-nm thin gold foils. Statistical and local comparisons of the microstructure between the nonetched and nanoporous gold foils were made. Analyses of crystallographic texture, misorientation distribution, and grain structure clearly prove that during the dealloying manufacturing process of nanoporous materials the crystallographic texture is enhanced significantly with a clear decrease of internal strain, whereas maintaining the grain structure.

This paper investigates the adhesive interface in a polymer/metal (polyethylene terephthalate/steel) laminate that is subjected to uniaxial strain. Cross-sections perpendicular to such interfaces were created with a focused ion beam and imaged with scanning electron microscopy during straining in the electron microscope. During in situ straining, glide steps formed by the steel caused traction at the interface and initiated crazes in the polyethylene terephthalate (PET). These crazes readily propagated along the free surface of the PET layer. Similar crazing has not been previously encountered in laminates that were pre-strained or in numerical calculations. The impact of focused ion beam treatments on mechanical properties of the polymer/metal laminate system was therefore investigated. It was found that mechanical properties such as toughness of PET are dramatically influenced by focused ion beam etching. It was also found that this change in mechanical properties has a different effect on the pre-strained and in situ strained samples.

This paper presents a statistical method to analyze instabilities that can be introduced during imaging in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The method is based on the correlation of digital images and it can be used at different length scales. It consists of the evaluation of three different approaches with four parameters in total. The methodology is exemplified with a specific case of internal stress measurements where ion milling and SEM imaging are combined with digital image correlation. It is concluded that before these measurements it is important to test the SEM column to ensure the minimization and randomization of the imaging instabilities. The method has been applied onto three different field emission gun SEMs (Philips XL30, Tescan Lyra, FEI Helios 650) that represent three successive generations of SEMs. Important to note that the imaging instability can be quantified and its source can be identified.

Four gold complexes were tested as a precursor for focused-electron-beam-induced deposition: [ClAu(III)Me2]2, ClAu(I)(SMe2), ClAu(I)(PMe3), and MeAu(I)(PMe3). Complexes [ClAu(III)Me2]2 and MeAu(I)(PMe3) are volatile, have sufficient vapor pressure at room temperature for deposition experiments, and were found to yield deposits that contain gold (29-41 and 19-25 atom %, respectively). Electrons easily remove the Cl ligand from [ClAu(III)Me2]2, and predominantly both methyl ligands are incorporated into the deposit. Electrons remove at least one methyl group from MeAu(I)(PMe3). Complexes ClAu(I)(SMe2) and ClAu(I)(PMe3) are not suitable as a precursor. They dissociate in vacuum, and the only volatile components are Cl, SMe2, and PMe3, respectively.

A versatile method to fabricate taper-free micro-/nanopillars of large aspect ratio was developed with focused ion beam (FIB) cutting. The key features of the fabrication are a FIB with an incident angle of 90° to the long axis of the pillar that enables milling of the pillar sideways avoiding tapering and the FIB current can be reduced step by step so as to reduce possible radiation damage of the milled surface by Ga ions. A procedure to accurately determine the cross-section of each pillar was developed.

This study explores the use of DC magnetron sputtering tungsten thin films for surface modification of TiNi shape memory alloy (SMA) targeting for biomedical applications. SEM, AFM and automatic contact angle meter instrument were used to determine the surface characteristics of the tungsten thin films. The hardness of the TiNi SMA with and without tungsten thin films was measured by nanoindentation tests. It is demonstrated that the tungsten thin films deposited at different magnetron sputtering conditions are characterized by a columnar microstructure and exhibit different surface morphology and roughness. The hardness of the TiNi SMA was improved significantly by tungsten thin films. The ion release, hemolysis rate, cell adhesion and cell proliferation have been investigated by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, CCK-8 assay and alkaline phosphatase activity test. The experimental findings indicate that TiNi SMA coated with tungsten thin film shows a substantial reduction in the release of nickel. Therefore, it has a better in vitro biocompatibility, in particular, reduced hemolysis rate, enhanced cell adhesion and differentiation due to the hydrophilic properties of the tungsten films.

Nanoporous metal foams possess a unique combination of properties - they are catalytically active, thermally and electrically conductive, and furthermore, have high porosity, high surface-to-volume and strength-to-weight ratio. Unfortunately, common approaches for preparation of metallic nanostructures render materials with highly disordered architecture, which might have an adverse effect on their mechanical properties. Block copolymers have the ability to self-assemble into ordered nanostructures and can be applied as templates for the preparation of well-ordered metal nanofoams. Here we describe the application of a block copolymer-based supramolecular complex - polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine)(pentadecylphenol) PS-b-P4VP(PDP) - as a precursor for well-ordered nickel nanofoam. The supramolecular complexes exhibit a phase behavior similar to conventional block copolymers and can self-assemble into the bicontinuous gyroid morphology with two PS networks placed in a P4VP(PDP) matrix. PDP can be dissolved in ethanol leading to the formation of a porous structure that can be backfilled with metal. Using electroless plating technique, nickel can be inserted into the template's channels. Finally, the remaining polymer can be removed via pyrolysis from the polymer/inorganic nanohybrid resulting in nanoporous nickel foam with inverse gyroid morphology.

Transmission electron microscopy characterization of two major long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases in Mg-Zn-Y alloy, i.e., 18R- and 14H-LPSO are reported. The space group and atomic-scale microstructures of both compounds were determined using a combination of electron diffraction, convergent beam electron diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy. The 18R-LPSO phase is demonstrated to have a point group and space group 3m and R3m (or 3 m and R 3 m), with the lattice parameter a = 1.112 nm and c = 4.689 nm in a hexagonal coordinate system. The 14H-LPSO phase has a point group 6/mmm and a space group P63 /mmc, and the lattice parameter is a = 1.112 nm and c = 3.647 nm. In addition, insertion of extra thin Mg platelets of several atomic layers, results in stacking faults in the LPSO phase. These results may shed some new light on a better understanding of the microstructure and deformation mechanisms of LPSO phases in Mg alloys.

We present a multi-technique characterisation of graphene grown by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and thereafter transferred to and suspended on a grid for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The properties of the electronic band structure are investigated by angle-resolved photoelectron spectromicroscopy, while the structural and crystalline properties are studied by TEM and Raman spectroscopy. We demonstrate that the suspended graphene membrane locally shows electronic properties comparable with those of samples prepared by micromechanical cleaving of graphite. Measurements show that the area of high quality suspended graphene is limited by the folding of the graphene during the transfer.

The current understanding in the study of focused electron beam induced processing (FEBIP) is that the growth of a deposit is mainly the result of secondary electrons (SEs). This suggests that the growth rate for FEBIP is affected by the SE emission from the support. Our experiments, with membranes thinner than the SE escape depth, confirm this hypothesis. We used membranes of 1.4 and 4.3 nm amorphous carbon as supports. At the very early stage, the growth is support-dominated and the growth rate on a 4.3 nm thick membrane is three times higher than on a 1.4 nm thick membrane. This is consistent with Monte Carlo simulations for SE emission. The results suggest that SEs are dominant in the dissociation of W(CO)6 on thin membranes. The best agreement between simulations and experiment is obtained for SEs with energies between 3 and 6 eV.With this work we revisit earlier experiments, working at a precursor pressure 20 times lower than previously. Then, despite using membranes thinner than the SE escape depth, we did not see an effect on the experimental growth rate. We explain our current results by the fact that very early in the process, the growth becomes dominated by the growing deposit itself.

We present the results of our study about the deposition rate of focused electron beam induced processing (FEBIP) as a function of the substrate temperature with the substrate being an electron-transparent amorphous carbon membrane. When W(CO)6 is used as a precursor it is observed that the growth rate is lower at higher substrate temperatures. From Arrhenius plots we calculated the activation energy for desorption, E des, of W(CO)6. We found an average value for E des of 20.3 kJ or 0.21 eV, which is 2.5-3.0 times lower than literature values. This difference between estimates for E des from FEBIP experiments compared to literature values is consistent with earlier findings by other authors. The discrepancy is attributed to electron-stimulated desorption, which is known to occur during electron irradiation. The data suggest that, of the W(CO)6 molecules that are affected by the electron irradiation, the majority desorbs from the surface rather than dissociates to contribute to the deposit. It is important to take this into account during FEBIP experiments, for instance when determining fundamental process parameters such as the activation energy for desorption.

Metallic muscles made of nanoporous metals suffer from serious drawbacks caused by the usage of an aqueous electrolyte for actuation. An aqueous electrolyte prohibits metallic muscles from operating in dry environments and hampers a high actuation rate due to the low ionic conductivity of electrolytes. In addition, redox reactions involved in electrochemical actuation severely coarsen the ligaments of nanoporous metals, leading to a substantial loss in performance of the actuator. Here we present an electrolyte-free approach to put metallic muscles to work via a metal/polymer interface. A nanocoating of polyaniline doped with sulfuric acid was grown onto the ligaments of nanoporous gold. Dopant sulfate anions coadsorbed into the polymer coating matrix were exploited to tune the nanoporous metal surface stress and subsequently generate macroscopic dimensional changes in the metal. Strain rates achieved in the single-component nanoporous metal/polymer composite actuator are 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the standard three-component nanoporous metal/electrolyte hybrid actuator.

During laser deposition of Ni-Cr-B-Si-C alloys with high amounts of Cr and B, various microstructures and phases can be generated from the same chemical composition that results in heterogeneous properties in the clad layer. In this study, the microstructure and phase constitution of a high-alloy Ni-Cr-B-Si-C coating deposited by laser cladding were analyzed by a combination of several microscopy characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy in secondary and backscatter imaging modes, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The combination of EDS and EBSD allowed unequivocal identification of micron-sized precipitates as polycrystalline orthorhombic CrB, single crystal tetragonal Cr5B3, and single crystal hexagonal Cr7C3. In addition, TEM characterization showed various equilibrium and metastable Ni-B, Ni-Si, and Ni-Si-B eutectic products in the alloy matrix. The findings of this study can be used to explain the phase formation reactions and to tune the microstructure of Ni-Cr-B-Si-C coatings to obtain the desired properties.

The resolution of lithography techniques needs to be extended beyond their current limits to continue the trend of miniaturization and enable new applications. But what is the ultimate spatial resolution? It is known that single atoms can be imaged with a highly focused electron beam. Can single atoms also be written with an electron beam? We verify this with focused electron-beam-induced deposition (FEBID), a direct-write technique that has the current record for the smallest feature written by (electron) optical lithography. We show that the deposition of an organometallic precursor on graphene can be followed molecule-by-molecule with FEBID. The results show that mechanisms that are inherent to the process inhibit a further increase in control over the process. Hence, our results present the resolution limit of (electron) optical lithography techniques. The writing of isolated, subnanometer features with nanometer precision can be used, for instance, for the local modification of graphene and for catalysis.

The controlled positioning of nanostructures with active molecular components is of importance throughout nanoscience and nanotechnology. We present a novel three-step method to produce nanostructures that are selectively decorated with functional molecules. We use fluorophores and nanoparticles to functionalize SiO features with defined shapes and with sizes ranging from micrometers to 25 nm. The method is called MACE-ID: molecular assembly controlled by electron-beam-induced deposition. In the first step, SiO nanostructures are written with focused electron-beam-induced deposition, a direct-writing technique. In the second step, the deposits are selectively silanized. In the final step, the silanes are functionalized with fluorescent dyes, polystyrene spheres, or gold nanoparticles. This recipe gives exciting new possibilities for combining the highly accurate control of top-down patterning (e-beam direct writing) with the rich variety of the bottom-up approach (self-assembly), leading to active or responsive surfaces. An important advantage of MACE-ID is that it can be used on substrates that already contain complex features, such as plasmonic structures, nanoantennas, and cavities.

We show that variations in the relative humidity give rise to reversible macroscopic dimensional changes in nanoporous gold exposed to ambient air. The macroscopic strain is the consequence of changes in the nanoporous gold surface stress. We have measured reversible strain amplitudes up to 0.02% in response to a 15% change in relative humidity. The direct conversion into mechanical work of the energy involved in the liquid to vapor phase transition of water is attractive for environmentally friendly short-stroke actuator and sensor applications.

We have synthesized nanoporous Au with a dual microscopic length scale by exploiting the crystal structure of the alloy precursor. The synthesized mesoscopic material is characterized by stacked Au layers of submicrometer thickness. In addition, each layer displays nanoporosity through the entire bulk. It is shown that the thickness of these layers can be tailored via the grain size of the alloy precursor. The two-length-scale structure enhances the functional properties of nanoporous gold, leading to charge-induced strains of amplitude up to 6%, which are roughly 2 orders of magnitude larger than in nanoporous Au with the standard one-length-scale porous morphology. A model is presented to describe these phenomena.

Focused-electron-beam-induced deposition, or FEBID, enables the fabrication of patterns with sub-10 nm resolution. The initial stages of metal deposition by FEBID are still not fundamentally well understood. For these investigations, graphene, a one-atom-thick sheet of carbon atoms in a hexagonal lattice, is ideal as the substrate for FEBID writing. In this paper, we have used exfoliated few-layer graphene as a support to study the early growth phase of focused-electron-beam-induced deposition and to write patterns with dimensions between 0.6 and 5 nm. The results obtained here are compared to the deposition behavior on amorphous materials. Prior to the deposition experiment, the few-layer graphene was cleaned. Typically, it is observed in electron microscope images that areas of microscopically clean graphene are surrounded by areas with amorphous material. We present a method to remove the amorphous material in order to obtain large areas of microscopically clean graphene flakes. After cleaning, W(CO)(6) was used as the precursor to study the early growth phase of FEBID deposits. It was observed that preferential adsorption of the precursor molecules on step edges and adsorbates plays a key role in the deposition on cleaned few-layer graphene.

Metal nanofoams with a porosity above 50% v/v have recently attracted great interest in materials science due to their interesting properties. We demonstrate a new straightforward route to prepare such nanofoams using diblock copolymer-based PS-block-P4VP(PDP) supramolecules that self-assemble into a bicontinuous gyroid morphology, consisting of PS network channels in a P4VP(PDP) matrix. After dissolving the PDP, the P4VP collapses onto the PS struts and a free-standing bicontinuous gyroid template of 50-100 μm thickness and interconnected, uniformly sized pores is formed. The hydrophilic P4VP corona facilitates the penetration of water-based plating reagents into the porous template and enables a successful metal deposition. After plating, the polymer is simply degraded by heating, resulting in a well-ordered inverse gyroid nickel foam. Essential to this approach is the removal of only one part of the matrix (i.e., PDP). Therefore, the template accounts for 50% v/v or more. The porosity characteristics (amount, size of pores) can be tuned by selecting the appropriate copolymer and by adjusting the amount of PDP., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

The aim of this study is to compare the hold in bone of Meniscus Arrows and Smart Nails, followed by the report of the results of the clinical application of Meniscus Arrows as fixation devices. First, pull-out tests were performed to analyse the holdfast of both nails in bone. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference; therefore, the thinner Meniscus Arrow was chosen as fixation device in the patient series of two patients with a symptomatic Osteochondritis dissecans fragment and three patients with an osteochondral fracture of a femur condyle. The cartilage margins were glued with Tissuecoll. All fragments consolidated. Second look arthroscopy in three patients showed fixed fragments with stable, congruent cartilage edges. At an average follow-up period of 5 years no pain, effusion, locking, restricted range of motion or signs of osteoarthritis were reported. Based on the results of the pull-out tests and available clinical studies, Meniscus Arrows and Smart Nails are both likely to perform adequately as fixation devices in the treatment of Osteochondritis dissecans and osteochondral fractures in the knee. They both provide the advantage of one stage surgery. However, based on their smaller diameter, the Meniscus Arrows should be preferred for this indication.

A computer-controlled procedure is outlined here that first determines the position of the amorphous-crystalline interface in an image. Subsequently, from a time series of these images, the velocity of the crystal growth front is quantified. The procedure presented here can be useful for a wide range of applications, and we apply the new approach to determine growth rates in a so-called fast-growth-type phase-change material. The growth rate (without nucleation) of this material is of interest for comparison with identical material used in phase-change random access memory cells. Crystal growth rates in the amorphous phase-change layers have been measured at various temperatures using in situ heating in a transmission electron microscope. Doped SbTe films (20 nm thick) were deposited on silicon nitride membranes, and samples with and without silicon oxide capping layer were studied. The activation energy for growth was found to be 3.0 eV. The samples without capping layer exhibit a nucleation rate that is an order of magnitude higher than the samples with a silicon oxide capping layer. This difference can be attributed to the partial oxidation of the phase-change layer in air. However, the growth rates of the samples with and without capping are quite comparable.

TbMnO(3) films have been grown under compressive strain on (001)-oriented SrTiO(3) crystals. They have an orthorhombic structure and display the (001) orientation. With increasing thickness, the structure evolves from a more symmetric (tetragonal) to a less symmetric (bulk-like orthorhombic) structure, while keeping constant the in-plane compression, thereby leaving the out-of-plane lattice spacing unchanged. The domain microstructure of the films is also revealed, showing an increasing number of orthorhombic domains as the thickness is decreased: we directly observe ferroelastic domains as narrow as 4 nm. The high density of domain walls may explain the induced ferromagnetism observed in the films, while both the decreased anisotropy and the small size of the domains could account for the absence of a ferroelectric spin spiral phase.

Background: Inward curling of the barbs of Meniscus Arrows during degradation was observed in a previous study, in which swelling, distention, and water uptake by Meniscus Arrows was evaluated. This change of configuration could have consequences with respect to anchorage capacity in bone., Material/methods: Eight non-degraded Meniscus Arrows in the original configuration were pulled out of thawed, fresh-frozen human femoral condyle, and pull-out force was measured and compared with that of 6 Meniscus Arrows after 31 days of degradation under controlled conditions., Results: No significant difference was found between the 2 groups with respect to the required pull-out force (t test), the distribution of the data, or the interaction between degradation and location, as evaluated by Mann-Whitney test, and no significant difference was found between the 2 groups with respect to the degradation state or position in the condyles, as evaluated by 2-way analysis of variance., Conclusions: Our results indicate that the decrease in barb-barb diameter during the first month of degradation of the Meniscus Arrows has no significant effect on the tensile pull-out force required for removal from human femur condyle. Further research should be undertaken to examine whether the same is true for other biodegradable devices with barbs.

In the field of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fundamental and practical reasons still remain that hamper a straightforward correlation between microscopic structural information and deformation mechanisms in materials. In this article, it is argued that one should focus in particular on in situ rather than on postmortem observations of the microstructure. This viewpoint has been exemplified with in situ straining and in situ compression studies on metallic glasses. In situ TEM straining of amorphous metals permits an evaluation of the thickness of the liquid-like layer (LLL) formed because of heat evolution after shear band development. The experimental evaluation confirms that the thickness of a LLL present at the last moment of fracture substantially exceeds the generally accepted thickness of a shear band. In situ TEM and in situ SEM compression experiments on metallic glass pillars lead to the conclusion that smaller sized pillars deform more homogeneously than larger sized pillars., ((c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Capillary forces have been measured by atomic force microscopy in the plate-sphere setup between gold, borosilicate glass, GeSbTe, titanium, and UV-irradiated amorphous titanium-dioxide surfaces. The force measurements were performed as a function contact time and surface roughness in the range 0.2-15 nm rms and relative humidity ranging between 2% and 40%. It is found that even for the lowest attainable relative humidity ( approximately 2%+/-1%) very large capillary forces are still present. The latter suggests the persistence of a nanometers-thick adsorbed water layer that acts as a capillary bridge between contacting surfaces. Moreover, we found a significantly different scaling behavior of the force with rms roughness for materials with different hydrophilicity as compared to gold-gold surfaces.

We have investigated the morphology and surface roughness of several commercially available microspheres to determine their suitability for force measurements using the atomic force microscope. The roughness varies considerably, depending on sphere size and material, ranging from nearly ideally flat up to micrometer-sized features. Because surface roughness significantly influences the magnitude and accuracy of measurement of surface forces, the results presented here should be helpful for colloid physicists and in particular for those performing force measurements.

Water uptake after implantation of biodegradable devices induces swelling, as mentioned in literature. The hold in bone of solid devices will increase if the swelling is substantial enough. The results of weighing six Meniscus Arrows (MAs) before and after immersion in a sterile phosphate buffered saline solution during different time intervals were compared with the outcome of measurements under a field emission scanning electron microscope of six other MAs, stored under comparable conditions. The data were statistically evaluated with the Wilcoxon's signed rank test. The weight increase of 2.1 mg or 9.16% was statistically significant in the first 2 h following immersion, remaining stable afterwards with an average weight gain of 1.7 mg or 7.18%. The core diameter of the MAs increased to 0.01 mm or 1.01% with time. Although this is statistically significant, it is not expected to have any consequences for the hold. However, a remarkable and statistically significant decrease in the outer inter-barb diameter of 0.15 mm or 8.6% was noted with time. Mechanical testing should reveal the clinical relevance of the results of this study.

The development of a free form bulk Nickel reinforced Alumina matrix nano composites using Air Plasma Spray and laser processing has been presented. The process consumes less time and requires further minimal machining and therefore is cost effective. The relative differences in using APS over laser processing in development of bulk metal-ceramic nanocomposites have been discussed. The process intricacies involved during processing such as material specific mandrel selection, plasma-particle interaction are highlighted. Electroless coating has been used to uniformly disperse Nickel in alumina matrix as a source material. The electroless Ni coated alumina particles are subjected to both laser processing and Air Plasma Spraying with optimized parameters. Consolidation by laser processing could not be achieved as the laser beam was reflective to Nickel. On the other hand, APS Ni-alumina nanocomposite with a cylindrical shape of 1.2" OD x 1" ID x 1.5" length has been fabricated with minimum or no surface defects. HRTEM pictures revealed the nanostructure retention thereby corroborating the fact that bulk nanostructures can be made using Air Plasma Spray. XRD analysis confirmed the phase transformation from alpha alumina to gamma alumina and oxidation of Ni to NiO. Subsequent reduction of NiO to metallic nickel using hydrogen atmosphere has also been demonstrated. Mechanical properties such as, hardness (1025 HV) and fracture toughness (5 MPa m1/2) for the nanocomposite are presented herein.

In this study, a VG FIM100 was taken into operation, consisting of a field-ion microscope (FIM), a time-of-flight atom probe (TOFAP) and an imaging atom probe. A tungsten specimen was used to calibrate the conversion of flight times to m/n values. The resulting relative mass resolution of the TOFAP was calculated to be m/Deltam approximately 500 FWHM. In time-of-flight measurements of homemade boron-doped Ni-rich Ni(3)Al, a so-called ladder diagram was constructed from the evaporation data of a <001> pole. This ladder diagram revealed a very high degree of ordering in the alternating pure Ni and mixed Ni/Al planes: only 0.4% of the detected Al atoms were located on pure Ni planes. The number of null pulses to start a new plane was found to be much higher for Ni/Al planes (5 x 10(2)) than for Ni planes (1 x 10(2)). Moreover, the ladder diagram showed that boron was uniformly distributed through the matrix with nearly all boron found on pure Ni-planes. The suggestion that boron preferentially settles on these planes would be supported by reports of a strong Ni-B bond, since on Ni planes, B atoms can be accommodated on octahedral interstitial sites surrounded by only Ni atoms. Finally, we performed time-of-flight measurements on Co(3)W. The ion species observed in these measurements included a wide variety of WN(n)(2+) ions, with 0

It is shown that a self-affine roughness at the junction of an elastic film and a hard solid substrate influences considerably the adhesion of the elastic film, especially for small roughness exponents H (H<0.5) and/or large long wavelength roughness ratios w/xi with w being the rms roughness amplitude and xi being the in-plane roughness correlation length. Analytical calculations of the local surface slope allows an estimate of the roughness effects on the adhesion energy more precisely than those presented in earlier works (especially for roughness exponents H<0.5). For weak surface roughness the elastic energy contribution is significant on the film effective surface energy deltagamma(eff) and on pull-off force for elastic modulus E in the range of GPa. Moreover, in the case of partial contact an estimation of the pull-off force shows that it strongly decreases with reducing contact area due to surface.

As a tribute to the scientific work of Professor Gareth Thomas in the field of structure-property relationships this paper delineates a new possibility of Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) to study the magnetic properties of soft magnetic films. We show that in contrast to the traditional point of view, not only does the direction of the magnetization vector in nano-crystalline films make a correlated small-angle wiggling, but also the magnitude of the magnetization modulus fluctuates. This fluctuation produces a rapid modulation in the LTEM image. A novel analysis of the ripple structure in nano-crystalline Fe-Zr-N film corresponds to an amplitude of the transversal component of the magnetization deltaMy of 23 mT and a longitudinal fluctuation of the magnetization of the order of deltaMx = 30 mT. The nano-crystalline (Fe99Zr1)1-xNx films have been prepared by DC magnetron reactive sputtering with a thickness between 50 and 1000 nm. The grain size decreased monotonically with N content from typically 100 nm in the case of N-free films to less than 10 nm for films containing 8 at%. The specimens were examined with a JEOL 2010F 200 kV transmission electron microscope equipped with a post column energy filter (GIF 2000 Gatan Imaging Filter). For holography, the microscope is mounted with a biprism (JEOL biprism with a 0.6 microm diameter platinum wire).

This article aims to make a connection between the microstructures of various nanostructured alloys and giant magnetoresistive (GMR) properties. The GMR behavior of nanoclusters embedded in a nonmagnetic matrix differs considerably from an alloy with the content of a magnetic phase above the percolation threshold; that is to say, an increase of GMR effect upon going from 300 to 10 K for the former and a decrease of the GMR effect for the latter. The following materials systems were examined with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and magnetoelectrical resistance measurements: magnetic Co and CoFe nanoclusters in a Au matrix, NiFe clusters in a Cu matrix, and NiFe/Cu spinodal decomposition waves with interconnection of the magnetic phase. After annealing (> or = 300 degrees C), Co particles in Au become semi- or incoherent, whereas under other conditions and in all other systems, the interfaces remain coherent. This state of coherency at the interface between magnetic particles and a nonmagnetic matrix turned out to have a detectable influence on the GMR behavior.