Observation of carbon segregation and evolution of vacancy defects in a surface layer of iron exposed to a low-energy high-current electron beam

For the first time, Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) using a proton microbeam and a slow positron beam were used to analyze (scan) the surface and near-surface layers of α-Fe after exposure to a low-energy high-current electron beam. Grain-boundary segregation of carbon and the formation of impurity complexes were observed. Proton microbeam scanning revealed regions of reduced local density which are sources of crater formation. Pis’ma Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 24, 13–20 (May 12, 1998)