Effect of low-energy (20–40 keV) ion implantation on phase transformations in the subsurface volume of alloys

A series of investigations based on field ion microscopy (FIM) techniques has been carried out with the aim of precision determination of structural and phase changes that take place in the subsurface layers of ordered and aging alloys as a result of implantation of ions of various gases. It has been revealed that when ordered and aging solid solutions are irradiated by gas ions with energies of 15–40 keV and doses of 1013–1018 ions/cm2 structural phase transformations take place in the subsurface volume of the alloys. A study has been made of the atomic structure of defects resulting from ion implantation, namely: radiation-disordered regions; dislocation configurations, dislocation loops and barriers; segregations of atoms of one of the components. The structure of the above-mentioned defects in regions of individual cascades of atom displacements, their dimensions and mutual positions, and their crystallogeometric characteristics have been determined.