3DAP Analysis and Computer Simulation of Nanocluster Formation in the Initial Aging Stage of Al-Zn Alloys

The formation of nanoclusters in the early aging stage is not fully clarified due to their extremely small sizes. To clarify the atomic-scale clustering of solute atoms, a three-dimensional atom probe (3DAP) analysis and a Monte Carlo computer simulation have been conducted together for Al-Zn alloys. The nanoclusters in the alloy aged at room temperature were successfully detected in the obtained 3DAP maps. From these maps the growth behavior of nanoclusters during aging was experimentally examined. In the Monte Carlo simulation, on the other hand, many-body nearest neighbor interactions between atoms and between atoms and a vacancy were taken into account. The Zn concentration of the clusters calculated in the 4-body interaction model best agreed with that obtained experimentally, suggesting the importance of many-body interactions. Therefore, it was confirmed that the combined analysis of 3DAP and the well-constructed Monte Carlo simulation is useful to make clear the nanocluster formation in alloys.