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.