Defect Imaging and Detection of Precipitates Using a New Scanning Positron Microbeam

Abstract

We report on a newly developed scanning positron microbeam based on threefold moderation of positrons provided by the high intensity positron source NEPOMUC. For brightness enhancement a remoderation unit with a $100$nm thin Ni(100) foil and 9.6% efficiency is applied to reduce the area of the beam spot by a factor of 60. In this way, defect spectroscopy is enabled with a lateral resolution of $33\mu$m over a large scanning range of $19\times 19$mm${}^2$. Moreover, 2D defect imaging using Doppler broadening spectroscopy (DBS) is demonstrated to be performed within exceptional short measurement times of less than two minutes for an area of $1\times 1$mm${}^2$ ($100\times 100\mu$m${}^2$) with a resolution of $250\mu$m ($50\mu$m). We studied the defect structure in laser beam welds of the high-strength agehardened Al alloy (AlCu6Mn, EN AW-2219 T87) by applying (coincident) DBS with unprecedented spatial resolution. The visualization of the defect distribution revealed a sharp transition between the raw material and the welded zone as well as a very small heat affected zone. Vacancy-like defects and Cu rich precipitates are detected in the as-received material and, to a lesser extent, in the transition zone of the weld. Most notably, in the center of the weld vacancies without forming Cu-vacancy complexes, and the dissolution of the Cu atoms in the crystal lattice, i.e. formation of a supersaturated solution, could be clearly identified.

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