Formable Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS) have a unique combination of strength and ductility, making them ideal in the effort to lightweight vehicles. The AHSS in this study, Quenched and Partitioned 1180, rely on the Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) effect, in which retained austenite (RA) grains transform to martensite during plastic deformation, providing extra ductility via the transformation event. Understanding the factors involved in RA transformation, such as local strain and grain attributes, is therefore key to optimizing the microstructure of these steels. This research seeks to increase understanding of those attributes and the correlations between microstructure and RA transformation in TRIP steels. To measure local strain, the viability of using forescatter detector (FSD) images as the basis for DIC study is investigated. Standard FSD techniques, along with an integrated EBSD / FSD approach (Pattern Region of Interest Analysis System), are both analyzed. Simultaneous strain and microstructure maps are obtained for tensile deformation up to around 6% strain. The method does not give sub-grain resolution, and surface feature evolution prevents DIC analysis across large strain steps; however, the data is easy to obtain and provides a natural set of complementary information for the EBSD analysis. In-situ tensile tests combined with EBSD allow RA grain and neighboring attributes to be characterized and corresponding transformation data to be obtained. However, pseudo-symmetry of the ferrite (BCC) and martensite (BCT) phases prevents EBSD from accurately identifying all phases. Measuring the relative distortion of the crystal lattice, tetragonality, is one approach to identifying the phases. Unfortunately, small errors in the pattern center can cause significant errors in tetragonality measurement. Therefore, this research utilizes a new approach for accurate pattern center determination using a strain minimization routine and applies it to tetragonality maps for phase identification. Tetragonality maps based on dynamically simulated patterns result in the most accurate maps and can also be used to predict approximate local carbon content. Machine learning is then used on the collected data to isolate key attributes of RA grains and provide a decision tree model to predict transformation based on those attributes. Among the most relevant attributes found, RA grain area, RA grain shape aspect ratio, a “hardness” factor, and major axis orientation are included. Possible correlations between these factors and transformation improve understanding of relevant attributes and show the advantage that machine learning can have in unravelling complex material behavior.

One conventional method for studying dislocations uses the Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), a complex and expensive piece of equipment which requires extensive specimen preparation in order to thin the specimens to electron transparent thickness. Newer High Resolution Electron Backscatter Diffraction (HREBSD) methods of determining geometrically necessary dislocation content via cross-correlation promise to be able to produce estimates of the dislocation density of the sample over a larger area with considerably less preparation time and using a much more accessible instrument. However, the accuracy of the new EBSD technique needs more experimental verification, including consideration of possible changes in the specimen dislocation density due to the different preparation methods. By comparing EBSD and TEM dislocation measurements of Electron Transparent platinum specimens prepared using the Focused Ion Beam (FIB), along with EBSD dislocations measurements of specimens prepared by both FIB and mechanical polishing techniques, this paper seeks to verify the accuracy of the new method and identify any changes in the specimens’ apparent dislocation density caused by the different preparation processes.

No description available.

No description available.

Discrete (mm- to m-scale) mylonitic shear zones in the northeastern Harquahala metamorphic core complex, Arizona, show evidence of fluid-mineral interactions catalyzing deformation and metamorphism. Many contain a deformed central epidote vein with adjacent bleached haloes and flanking paired shear zones that indicate significant fluid-rock interaction during deformation. An integration of structural and geochemical methods was employed to understand timing, metamorphic conditions, and physiochemical processes responsible for producing the discrete shear zones. Field and microstructural evidence suggest the zones initiated on antecedent fractures. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analyses show a significant coaxial contribution to the shear, and quartz deformation predominately by prism <a> slip, along with some rhomb <a> slip, suggesting amphibolite-facies conditions during shearing. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy analyses of quartz reveal higher water contents within shear zones than within country rocks, indicating fluid infiltration synchronous with shearing. Stable isotope analyses of quartz and feldspar from mylonites are consistent with an igneous or metamorphic fluid origin. Microstructural observations suggest that the zone morphology with epidote veins, bleached haloes, and flanking discrete paired shear zones was developed predominantly from reaction softening mechanisms. The increase in deformation from bleached rock to flanking shear zones is marked by progressive modal increases in biotite and myrmekite, and modal decreases in K-feldspar, and locally epidote and titanite. Myrmekitic textures recrystallized readily and resulted in progressively greater grain size reduction of feldspar, which aided in the progressive alignment and linkage of the biotite grains, which together concentrated the deformation in bands. Volume reduction resulting from some of the metamorphic reactions may have led to a positive feedback cycle among fluid infiltration, metamorphism and deformation. U-Pb isotope analyses of syn-metamorphic titanite yield an age of ~70 Ma, suggesting the shear zones formed during cooling of the Late Cretaceous (75.5±1.3 Ma) Brown’s Canyon pluton, consistent with their top-to-the-southwest sense of shear, rather than during top-to-the-northeast directed Miocene metamorphic core complex exhumation. Petrography, EBSD analyses, and U-Pb dating of titanite from other (non-discrete) mylonites in the area imply most formed synchronously with the discrete shear zone mylonites. Only rare, scattered mylonites show features consistent with metamorphic core complex exhumation. / text

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The effect of friction-stir processing (FSP) on the microstructure of a cast nickel-aluminum bronze (NAB) material has been characterized by various micro-analytical methods including orientation imaging microscopy (OIM). Cast NAB is widely utilized in the production of propellers for the surface ships and submarines of the U.S. Navy due to excellent corrosion-resistance. New applications require improved mechanical properties that may be attainable using FSP to achieve localized microstructure modification. Friction between a rotating tool and the surface of the material results in a *stirring* action that, in turn, produces adiabatic heating and local softening of the material. The tool rotation results in very large shear deformations in the softened regions and thus microstructure refinement and homogenization; in effect FSP may convert an as-cast microstructure to a wrought condition in the absence of macroscopic shape change. In as-cast material, results of optical and scanning electron microscopy (using energy dispersive analysis) show an ` (FCC) matrix containing globular and particulate dispersions that correspond to the *I, *II and *IV second phases; these represent various morphologies of the Fe3Al intermetallic compound, which has a D03 structure. Also present are lamellar particles of *III, which is NiAl and has a B2 structure. The grain size in the ` matrix is ~ 1 mm. In OIM, the microtexture and microstructure in the ` (FCC) matrix may be readily obtained and analyzed. However, interatom distances in the Fe3Al and NiAl phases differ by only about one percent and so these phases are not distinguishable from one another during OIM. Altogether, microstructure and microtexture analysis showed that there are several regions in the thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) of a material subjected to FSP. From base material inward toward the TMAZ, these include: annealing effects in undeformed base material; a region just inside the TMAZ in which grain deformation and C-type shear deformation textures are observed; regions of highly refined and recrystallized grains further inside the TMAZ, wherein the grain size is < 5æm; and, finally, regions of elongated, banded and twinned grain structures that suggest grain growth following recrystalliztion. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

L’évolution de la technologie microélectronique conduit à une densité d’intégration toujours plus forte des transistors. Les structures d’interconnexions en cuivre Damascène suivent cette tendance et doivent être maîtrisées en termes de fabrication, de performance et de robustesse, ces différents aspects étant intimement liés aux contraintes résiduelles et à la résistivité. Cette thèse vise à comprendre les mécanismes de génération de contraintes et identifier les différentes contributions à la résistivité de ces objets en fonction des conditions de recuit et des dimensions (de la centaine de nm à plusieurs µm). Pour ce faire, les rôles respectifs de la microstructure et des dimensions de films et de lignes de cuivre électrodéposés ont été découplés sur la base de modèles analytiques intégrants des paramètres microstructuraux et géométriques. La microstructure a été analysée principalement à partir de cartographies d’orientations cristallines réalisées par EBSD. Dans le cas des lignes de cuivre de 0.2 à 1 µm de large, les contraintes résiduelles ont été déduites de l’exploitation de nano-capteurs pivotants spécialement élaborés. Les résultats obtenus montrent qu’indépendamment de la température de recuit, l’augmentation de résistivité et de contraintes résiduelles observée vers les faibles dimensions est le fruit d’une diminution de la taille moyenne de cristallites et d’un confinement géométrique plus prononcé. En outre, l’augmentation de résistivité résulte également d’une élévation de la probabilité de réflexion des électrons aux joints de grains. Cette dernière a été associée à la réduction de la proportion de joints de grains spéciaux de cohérence atomique élevée. / The evolution of the microelectronic technology leads to a transistors integration density always stronger. The Damascene copper interconnections structures follow this tendency and must be controlled in terms of manufacturing, performance and robustness, these different aspects being intimately related to the residual stresses and resistivity. This thesis aims to understand the mechanisms of the residual stresses generation and identify the different contributions to the resistivity of these objects as a function of annealing conditions and dimensions (from about a hundred of nm to several µm). In order to do this, the respective effects of the microstructure and dimensions of electroplated copper films and lines were separated on the basis of analytical models integrating microstructural and geometrical parameters. The microstructure was principally analysed from mappings of crystalline orientations achieved by EBSD. For the copper lines of width 0.2 and 1 µm, the residual stresses were deduced from the exploitation of nano-rotating sensors specially elaborated. The results obtained show that independently of the annealing temperature, the resistivity and residual stresses increase observed toward the small dimensions arises from the diminution of the average crystallites size and the geometrical confinement more pronounced. Furthermore, the resistivity increase results also of the electrons reflection probability growth at grains boundaries. This last point was associated to the reduction of the proportion of special grains boundaries having a high atomic coherency.

A Faixa Araçuaí foi formada no Neoproterozóico a partir da colisão E-W entre os continentes Sul-Americano e Africano. Sua porção leste compreende uma extensa área migmatítica (~300 km de comprimento por 50-100 km de largura) onde afloram anatexitos e leucogranitos (unidade Carlos Chagas), kinzigitos e granulitos migmatizados, que provavelmente são o registro de uma ampla fusão parcial da crosta intermediária a inferior. Observações de campo associadas com evidências micro-estruturais indicam que a deformação ocorreu quando as rochas estavam incompletamente solidificadas. Estimativas de temperaturas sincinemáticas realizadas a partir do geotermômetro TitaniQ (titânio-em-quartzo) indicam que a temperatura mínima para a cristalização de cristais de quartzo é ~750°C. Tais temperaturas combinadas com composição química de leucossomas dos anatexitos sugerem que a viscosidade das rochas crustais foi reduzida para pelo menos 108 Pa s. Baixo valor de viscosidade associado às evidências de campo e de micro-estruturas são consistentes com a geração de no mínimo 30% de volume de magma durante a orogênese. Grandes quantidades de magma promovem um drástico enfraquecimento da resistência mecânica das rochas à deformação, e atestam que a crosta anatética do extremo leste da Faixa Araçuaí representa um análogo de litosferas quentes (hot orogen), tal como a Himalaiana. Investigação mineralógica detalhada permitiu caracterizar um comportamento dominantemente paramagnético para os anatexitos e ferromagnético para os granulitos. Medidas de orientação preferencial cristalográfica (OPC) a partir da técnica de EBSD (electron backscatter diffraction) revelam que a foliação magnética surge, sobretudo, a partir da orientação preferencial dos eixos [001] da biotita orientados perpendicularmente ao plano de fluxo. Contudo, dada a fraca anisotropia linear desse mineral, apenas uma secundária contribuição de sua subtrama foi observada para a origem da lineação magnética (k1). A correspondência entre os eixos [001] de feldspatos e k1 ocorre devido a OPC de pequenas inclusões de ilmenita que imitam a OPC de seus minerais hospedeiros. Correlação entre k1 da Anisotropia de Remanência Anistéretica (ARA) e k1 da Anisotropia de Suscetibilidade Magnética (ASM) demonstra que, na escala do espécime, a lineação magnética tem uma contribuição da anisotropia dos minerais ferromagnéticos. Assim sendo, a lineação magnética nos anatexitos é o resultado da combinação da trama cristalográfica de feldspatos e de biotita com o alinhamento preferencial de grãos ferromagnéticos. Medidas de ASM realizadas para recuperar a trama mineral e investigar o fluxo nos migmatitos revela um padrão de deformação complexo, no qual, em função das direções de lineação, especialmente, é possível caracterizar três setores estruturais. A porção norte (região estrutural 1) com foliações dominantemente sub-horizontais e lineação fortemente orientada na direção NW-SE representa uma região de escape tectônico que ocorre através de um fluxo horizontal de canal (channel flow). Fluxos de canais possivelmente resultam da atuação de forças gravitacionais (gravity-driven flow). O setor sul (regiões estruturais 2 e 3) com variadas direções de foliação (NE-SW, E-W e NW-SE) e lineações com caimentos para Norte e Oeste, provavelmente refletem um regime de fluxo influenciado, sobretudo, pela tectônica de convergência E-W (collision-driven flow). Ambos os setores sugerem que na escala regional o fluxo crustal registrado pelos migmatitos resulta de um regime de deformação que envolve forças gravitacionais, devido a carga topográfica da crosta superior sobreposta à crosta intermediária parcialmente fundida, com viscosidade baixa, e forças tectônicas, associadas à colisão entre os continentes Sul-Americano e Africano. / The Araçuaí belt was formed by the collision between South American and African protocontinents during the Neoproterozoic. Its eastern part consists of an extensive migmatitic area (~300 km long x 50-100 km wide) where crop out anatexites and leucogranites (Carlos Chagas unit), migmatitic kinzigites and granulites that probably are the record of a widespread partial melting of the middle to lower crust. Field observations associated with microstructural evidences indicate that the deformation occurred when the rocks were incompletely solidified. Synkinematic temperature estimates realized using the TitaniQ (titaniun-in-quartz) geotermomether suggest that the minimum temperature for the quartz crystallization is ~750°C. Such temperatures combined with bulk rock composition of leucosome in the anatexites suggest that the viscosity of crustal rocks was dropped to at least 108 Pa s. Low viscosity values associated with field and microstructural evidences are consistent with the generation of at least 30% volume of melt during the orogeny. The presence of large volumes of melt promotes a drastic weakening of the mechanical strength of rocks and suggests that the anatectic crust of the eastern Araçuaí belt represents an analogue of present day hot orogen such the Himalayas. Detailed mineralogy investigation permitted to characterize the paramagnetic behaviour of the anatexites and the ferromagnetic behaviour of the granulites. Crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) measurements using the EBSD (Electron Backscatter Diffraction) technique reveal that the magnetic foliation results from the preferred orientation of the biotite [001] oriented normal to the flow plane. However, given the feeble linear anisotropy of this mineral, only a subsidiary contribution of its subfabric to the origin of the magnetic lineation (k1) was observed. Correspondence between [001] of feldspars and k1 is due to the CPO of small inclusions of ilmenite that mimic the CPO of their host minerals. Correlation between k1 of the Anisotropy of Anhysteretic Remanent Magnetization (AARM) and k1 of the Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) demonstrate that, at the specimen scale, the magnetic lineation has a contribution of the anisotropy of the ferromagnetic minerals. AMS measurements realized to recover the mineral fabric and investigate the migmatitic flow field revealed a complex strain pattern in which, considering the lineation trends, especially, it is possible to characterize three structural sectors. The north region (structural sector 1) with foliations dominantly sub-horizontal and lineation trending NW-SE is interpreted as a region of tectonic escape that may represent a horizontal channel flow. This oblique tectonic escape probably results from gravity forces (gravity-driven flow). The Southern region (structural sectors 2 and 3) with variable trending foliations (NE-SW, E-W and NW-SE) and lineation plunging to North and West, probably reflect a flow regime dominantly influenced by the E-W convergence of the African and South-American continents (collision-driven flow). Altogether, the characteristics of the various domains suggest that the deformation of the partially molten middle crust of the Araçuaí belt was the result of the combination of gravity forces due to the topographic load and tectonic forces due to the convergence between the African and South-American continents.

In the spring of 1999 NASA will launch the scatterometer SeaWinds, beginning a 3 year mission to measure the ocean winds. SeaWinds is different from previous spaceborne scatterometers in that it employs a rotating pencil-beam antenna as opposed to fixed fan-beam antennas. The scanning beam provides greater coverage but causes the wind retrieval accuracy to vary across the swath. This thesis develops a filed-wise wind retrieval algorithm to improve the overall wind retrieval accuracy for use with SeaWinds data. In order to test the field-wise wind retrieval algorithm, methods for simulating wind fields are developed. A realistic approach interpolates the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) estimates to fill a SeaWinds swath using optimal interpolation along with linear wind filed models. The two stages of the field-wise wind retrieval algorithm are filed-wise estimation and field-wise ambiguity selection. Field-wise estimation is implemented using a 22 parameter Karhunen-Loeve (KL) wind field model in conjunction with a maximum likelihood objective function. An augmented multi-start global optimization is developed which uses information from the point-wise estimates to aid in a global search of the objective function. The local minima in the objective function are located using the augmented multi-start search techniques and are stored as field-wise ambiguities. The ambiguity selection algorithm uses a field-wise median filter to select the field-wise ambiguity closest to the true wind in each region. Point-wise nudging is used to further improve the filed-wise estimate using information from the point-wise estimates. Combined, these two techniques select a good estimate of the wind 95% of the time. The overall performance of the field-wise wind retrieval algorithm is compared with the performance of the current point-wise techniques. Field-wise estimation techniques are shown to be potentially better than point-wise techniques. The field-wise estimates are also shown to be very useful tools in point-wise ambiguity selection since 95.8%-96.6% of the point-wise estimates closest to the field-wise estimates are the correct aliases.

The aim of this study was to develop and examine the use of backscatter data collected with multibeam sonar (MBS) systems for benthic habitat mapping. Backscatter data were collected from six sites around the Australian coastal zone using the Reson SeaBat 8125 MBS system operating at 455 kHz. Benthic habitats surveyed in this study included: seagrass meadows, rhodolith beds, coral reef, rock, gravel, sand, muddy sand, and mixtures of those habitats. Methods for processing MBS backscatter data were developed for the Coastal Water Habitat Mapping (CWHM) project by a team from the Centre for Marine Science and Technology (CMST). The CMST algorithm calculates the seafloor backscatter strength derived from the peak and integral (or average) intensity of backscattered signals for each beam. The seafloor backscatter strength estimated from the mean value of the integral backscatter intensity was shown in this study to provide an accurate measurement of the actual backscatter strength of the seafloor and its angular dependence. However, the seafloor backscatter strength derived from the peak intensity was found to be overestimated when the sonar insonification area is significantly smaller than the footprint of receive beams, which occurs primarily at oblique angles. The angular dependence of the mean backscatter strength showed distinct differences between hard rough substrates (such as rock and coral reef), seagrass, coarse sediments and fine sediments. The highest backscatter strength was observed not only for the hard and rough substrate, but also for marine vegetation, such as rhodolith and seagrass. The main difference in acoustic backscatter from the different habitats was the mean level, or angle-average backscatter strength. However, additional information can also be obtained from the slope of the angular dependence of backscatter strength. / It was shown that the distribution of the backscatter. The shape parameter was shown to relate to the ratio of the insonification area (which can be interpreted as an elementary scattering cell) to the footprint size rather than to the angular dependence of backscatter strength. When this ratio is less than 5, the gamma shape parameter is very similar for different habitats and is nearly linearly proportional to the ratio. Above a ratio of 5, the gamma shape parameter is not significantly dependent on the ratio and there is a noticeable difference in this parameter between different seafloor types. A new approach to producing images of backscatter properties, introduced and referred to as the angle cube method, was developed. The angle cube method uses spatial interpolation to construct a three-dimensional array of backscatter data that is a function of X-Y coordinates and the incidence angle. This allows the spatial visualisation of backscatter properties to be free from artefacts of the angular dependence and provides satisfactory estimates of the backscatter characteristics. / Using the angle-average backscatter strength and slope of the angular dependence, derived by the angle cube method, in addition to seafloor terrain parameters, habitat probability and classification maps were produced to show distributions of sand, marine vegetation (e.g. seagrass and rhodolith) and hard substrate (e.g. coral and bedrock) for five different survey areas. Ultimately, this study demonstrated that the combination of high-resolution bathymetry and backscatter strength data, as collected by MBS, is an efficient and cost-effective tool for benthic habitat mapping in costal zones.