Depth-profiling of nickel nanocrystal populations in a borosilicate glass - A combined TEM and XRM study

Populations of nickel nanocrystals in a borosilicate glass were studied by TEM and XRM. It is found that XRM, which is applied for the first time to this type of material, is superior for the precise determination of the depth-dependent number densities and volume fractions of precipitated Ni crystals. Statistical precision is gained by imaging 3D data of up to 60 times larger volumes as compared to the volume of the electron transparent rim that a standard TEM wedge specimen provides. Depth-dependent particle-size distributions of XRM were in agreement with those of TEM as the mean sizes of the Ni crystal populations were considerably larger than the XRM resolution limit.