Papers by Author: Hiroyasu Saka

Abstract: We characterized threading screw dislocations to investigate the influence on device performance. The Burgers vectors of the threading screw dislocations (a total of 28dislocations) in 4H-SiC were determined by large-angle convergent-beam electron diffraction. A new type of TSD, b=c+2a dislocation was identified. And all of the four types of TSD predicted were identified. The frequency of their occurrence observed experimentally is in good agreement with theoretical prediction. In addition, we investigated relations of Burgers vector and the dislocation line direction.　 It has been confirmed that the Burgers vector of TSD does not necessarily coincide with the direction of dislocation lines. Looking ahead,　we need to investigate how the angle between Burgers vector and dislocation line influence device performance.

Abstract: The process of phase transformation in individual Fe-Pt and Fe-Pt-Cu nanoparticles synthesized by the reverse micelle method with chemical homogeneity and mono-dispersion has been investigated by in-situ high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) observation and in-situ nano-beam diffraction (NBD). The Fe-Pt particles, initially polycrystalline with the chemically disordered fcc (A1) phase, were reconstructed into A1 single crystals between 550 and 650°C, followed by a phase transformation from A1 to the chemically ordered fct (L10) phase between 650 and 680°C. The coalescence began almost concurrently with the phase transformation. They were transformed into round-shaped single-crystalline particles between 680 and 720°C. Similar processes were also observed in the Fe-Pt-Cu nanoparticles. The temperatures at which these processes occurred were substantially lower than those required for the Fe-Pt nanoparticles. We investigated the magnetic-field distribution of a submicron-size island comprising isolated L10 Fe-Pt nanoparticles magnetized along one direction by using in-situ electron holography at elevated temperatures. Although the magnetization decreased between 212 and 412°C to 25% of the strength at 25°C, it recovered 67% of the initial strength during cooling. However, when an island was heated to 512°C, the magnetization diminished and did not recover during cooling. The Curie temperature (Tc) was determined to be 350°C and was in good agreement with the Tc determined by bulk measurements, which was approximately 100°C lower than the Tc for bulk Fe55Pt45.

Abstract: A novel method to observe the electrostatic field distribution with a conventional transmission electron microscope has been developed. The method allows measurements of a potential difference less than 1V/µm. This method can be performed in any kind of conventional transmission electron microscope and applied to the observation of the electric/magnetic field at the level of a specimen.

Abstract: The crystal structures of reduced-reoxidized ceria-zirconia solid solutions, Ce2Zr2O7+x, with an ordered arrangement of Ce and Zr ions were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The oxygen absorption of Ce2Zr2O7 with pyrochlore structure (space group m Fd 3 ) was revealed to proceed through two-step reaction; reaction from Ce2Zr2O7 to b-Ce2Zr2O7.5 around 400K and reaction from b-Ce2Zr2O7.5 to Ce2Zr2O8 about 600K. b-Ce2Zr2O7.5 phase with space group m F 3 4 was thought to be formed by occupation of the half ordered oxygen vacancies with oxygen ions periodically. The oxidation from Ce2Zr2O7 to b-Ce2Zr2O7.5 was also occurred at room temperature by keeping for about 1 year or by irradiation of an electron beam in TEM. On the other hand, the crystal structure of Ce2Zr2O8, completely oxidized state of Ce2Zr2O7, belongs to the space group of m P 3 4 or 23 P from the rule for possible diffractions and the symmetry of the ordering cations.