Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
Nuclear microscopy combines a range of MeV light ion beam analytical techniques such as Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE), Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), and Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (STIM). One of the main advantages of using MeV light ion beams for materials characterization is the large analytical volume due to their high penetration depth. This paper shows how nuclear microscopy is used to determine the size and distribution of Pb precipitates in a 40 μm thick alloy sample with a nominal composition of Al–5 wt.% Pb.