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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Grain boundary chemical structure of high purity α silicon carbide was investigated by an atomic resolution high voltage transmission electron microscope (ARHVTEM). Each of a ‘darker’ spots and each of the ‘brighter’ spots in the image have been identified to be silicon (Si) and carbon (C). Two (0001)/(1107) Σ 9 CSL grain boundaries were observed. One boundary showed a rigid body translation of 1/3 <1100> to the component crystals and the other did not. The unit period of the boundary was determined to 2.26 nm along >1120<. Two 6-membered, four 5-membered and 7-membered rings build up the boundary. Each ring consists of three C-C pairs, one Si-Si pair and non-paired Si atoms. In the case without the rigid body translation the number of lone Si atoms are four and only two Si atoms were determined in the other case. The observed structures suggest that the chemical structure of a grain boundary dominantly influences the grain boundary energy.