Papers by Author: Takahisa Yamamoto

Abstract: The WC/Co interface structures in WC-Co alloys doped with VC, Cr3C2 or ZrC were examined by high-resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) with a special interest in the segregation behavior of respective dopants at the WC/Co interfaces. It was confirmed that the addition of VC or Cr3C2 were effective to reduce WC grain size while that of ZrC was not. In case of VC or Cr3C2-doped alloys, the morphology of WC grains largely changed comparing with undoped and ZrC-doped alloys. The WC/Co interfaces of the two alloys tend to form micro facets with (0001) and {1010} habits. EDS analysis with a sub-nano scale probe revealed that the dopants strongly segregated at the two habits. In contrast, such morphology change, and also dopant segregation, could not be observed in ZrC-doped alloy. In our study, doped ZrC was not found to solute in Co-phase. Doped ZrC distributed in Co-phase to form other grains mainly consisting of ZrC. The interface structures of WC/Co could be considered to be closely related to the inhibition effect to WC grain growth.

Abstract: Dislocation structure of 10º low-angle tilt grain boundary in α-Al2O3 has been observed by high-resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM). It was found that perfect <1120> edge dislocations, which are introduced to compensate the misorientation, dissociated into two mixed partial dislocations with {1120} stacking-fault in between. The distances between the two partials were estimated by the force balances between repulsive forces of periodical dislocations and attractive forces from stacking-fault. The stacking-fault energy for 10o low-angle tilt grain boundary was estimated to be much higher than the previously reported value.

Abstract: In this paper, we characterized atomic structure of a Σ = 3, [110]/{112} grain boundary in a yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia bicrystal. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) clearly revealed that the grain boundary migrated to form {111}/{115} periodical facets, although the bicrystal was initially joined so as to have the symmetric straight boundary plane of {112}. Atomic-scale process for the facet growth could be modeled by the continuous flippings of atoms at the boundary core.

Abstract: The diffusion behavior of Ti3+ along basal dislocations in sapphire has been investigated by SIMS technique. High-density unidirectional dislocations were introduced by the high-temperature mechanical deformation, and Ti3+ ions were subsequently diffused along the dislocations. The SIMS diffusion profiles clearly showed diffusion tail due to the short circuit diffusion along the dislocations called pipe diffusion. Lattice diffusion coefficient and pipe diffusion coefficient of Ti3+ at 1300°C were measured to be 1.0±0.2×10-19 [m2/sec] and 2.0±0.6× 10-13 [m2/sec], respectively.

Abstract: Bicrystals of Nb-doped SrTiO3, having tilt angles of 4o~18 o with respect to [001], were prepared by joining two single crystals at 1873 K and then investigated to identify the effect of tilt angle on the grain boundary structure. The boundaries consisted of a regular array of dislocations but the positioning of cores along the boundary was found to be changed from a line to a zigzag as a tilt angle was increased up to 10o. The 14° - tilted boundary exhibited two kinds of boundary region exist at the same grain boundary; (1) the discrete cores region as observed in 4° ~ 10° - tilted boundaries and (2) the randomly oriented region as found in the 18° boundary. Thus it was observed that the structure of low-angle tilt boundary changed from the discrete dislocation structure to the randomly oriented structure as a tilt angle increases. These structural changes at the grain boundaries are considered to be related to a minimization of strain due to the high density of dislocations.

Abstract: SrTiO3 bicrystals with various types of grain boundaries were prepared by joining two single crystals at high temperature. By using the bicrystals, we examined their current-voltage characteristics across single grain boundaries from a viewpoint of point defect segregation in the vicinity of the grain boundaries. Current-voltage property in SrTiO3 bicrystals was confirmed to show a cooling rate dependency from annealing temperature, indicating that cation vacancies accumulate due to grain boundary oxidation. The theoretical results obtained by ab-initio calculation clearly showed that the formation energy of Sr vacancies is the lowest comparing with Ti and O vacancies in oxidized atomosphere. The formation of a double Schottky barrier (DSB) in n-type SrTiO3 is considered to be closely related to the accumulation of the charged Sr vacancies. Meanwhile, by using three types of low angle boundaries, the excess charges related to one grain boundary dislocation par unit length was estimated. In this study, we summarized our results obtained in our group.

Abstract: Structure and configuration of boundary dislocations on the low angle tilt grain boundaries in alumina were considered based on the ideas that the boundary is composed of regularly arrayed edge dislocations and that the dislocations could dissociate into partial dislocations as well as glide dislocations in bulk. Moreover, the structure of the dissociated boundary dislocations were evaluated by the calculations based on an elastic theory. The calculations indicated that the largeness of the stacking fault region between partial dislocations formed by the dissociation will decrease with increasing tilt angles. It can be said that the idea and calculations used here will be powerful in considering the dislocation structure of low angle tilt grain boundaries that are not or are difficult to be identified.

Abstract: Dislocation structure of {1120}/<1100> 2º tilt grain boundary in alumina was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The grain boundary consisted of periodical array of basal dislocations, which were dissociated into pairs of 1/3<1010> and 1/3<0110> partials with {1120} stacking-fault in between. The relationship between the separation distance of partials and the stacking-fault was modeled by considering the force balances of periodical dislocations. The estimated stacking-fault energy for 2o tilt grain boundary was consistent with the previous reports.