Field-ion Microscopy of Titanium Carbide

Abstract
Field-ion images were obtained from a compound, titanium carbide. This material is a hard, brittle, semi-metallic solid having the NaCl structure with several per cent vacancies in the carbon sub-lattice. Tips of 〈100〉 orientation were prepared by cleaving single crystals and then electro-polishing. With the tip at 27°K and helium imaging gas, regular development of two crystallographic regions occurs. Other regions of the image are not regularly developed. The probable cause of this irregular development is irregular field evaporation.