MSM Department homepage

Research Projects

Modelling of grain refinement in directionally solidified aluminium alloys
T. E. Quested and Prof. A. L. Greer (EPSRC CASE/ Alcan International Ltd.)
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Phase separation in Mg-based bulk metallic glasses
S.V. Madge and Prof. A. L. Greer (CCT/ UK-Korea Science & Technology Fund)
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Intermetallic phase changes in aluminium alloys
D.T.L. Alexander and Prof. A. L. Greer (EPSRC CASE/ Alcan International Ltd.)
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Thin-film chalcogenide alloys for optical recording
S. J. Price, Dr. A. L. Greer (EPSRC CASE/Plasmon Data Systems Ltd)
Ag-In-Sb-Te alloys in thin-film form undergo a reversible amorphous/crystalline phase change of interest for optical recording. The research includes studies of laser-induced transformations, structural characterisation by TEM, XRD and modeling of heat flow and fracture mechanisms.
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Transformations in nanocrystalline alloys
I. T. Walker and Dr. A. L. Greer (EPSRC, NEDO (Japan))
Alloys with nanometre-scale dispersion of crystallites in an amorphous matrix are made by devitrifying melt-spun metallic glasses. As part of a study of the remarkable mechanical properties of such alloys, displacive transformations in the crystallites are under investigation.
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Microstructure and reliability of vias in semiconductor metallization
R. Jakkaraju, Dr. A. L. Greer (Cambridge Nehru Trust)
Vias link one level of metallization to another on top of integrated circuits. Their structure is being studied using focused-ion beam microscopy and TEM. Their reliability under thermal cycling and electromigration-stressing are under investigation.
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Grain refinement in aluminium alloys
A. M. Bunn, Dr A. L. Greer
It is possible to observe nucleation of alpha-Al on grain-refining particles embedded in an amorphous aluminium alloy, and important microstructural features of the process are revealed. This technique is being exploited to understand mechanisms of grain refinement in conventional alloys.
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Role of grain refiner in intermetallic nucleation
M. W. Meredith, Dr A. L. Greer
The nucleation of intermetallic phases in the interdendritic regions during solidification of Al-Fe alloys can be affected by the presence of grain-refining particles. The selection of different phases is studied by experiment and modelling.
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Aluminium-based nanophase composites
Dr T. Gloriant, Dr A. L. Greer
Melt-spinning of aluminium/rare earth/transition metal alloys of compositions marginal for glass formation gives a microstructure of nanometre-scale crystallites dispersed in an amorphous matrix. These materials show ductility and ultra-high strength; their formation, microstructure and mechanical properties are being studied.
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Solidification studies in the 48 m Grenoble drop-tube
Dr A. L. Greer, P. Desre (INPG, Grenoble), B. Vinet (CENG, Grenoble)
The UHV 48 m drop-tube is used to study the solidification (in particular disorder trapping) behaviour in the refractory intermetallics Ir3Nb and Ir3Zr.
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Diffusion and microstructure development in metallic multilayers
J. S. Conyers, Dr Z.H. Barber, Dr A. L. Greer
Crystalline and amorphous metallic multilayers with interdiffusing elements are used to study: stress effects on diffusion and microstructural effects on sensitive diffusion measurements. Microstructure development in multilayers with immiscible elements is studied for its relevance for systems showing giant magnetoresistance.
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Studies of self-diffusion using neutron diffraction from artificial multilayers
Dr A. L. Greer, Dr R. E. Somekh, J. S. Conyers, N. Cowlam (Sheffield)
To extract self-diffusion coefficients in single crystalline and amorphous materials, neutron diffraction on the CRISP spectrometer at ISIS will be used to monitor the dacay on annealing of an imposed modulation in isotropic enrichment in chemically homogeneous multilayered thin films made by sputtering.
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Interdiffusion in amorphous multilayers
Dr A. L. Greer, J. S. Conyers, J Bottiger (Aarhus, Denmark)
Amorphous alloys such as Ni-Zr provide good oportunities for testing theories of interdiffusion. Work continues on the quantification of stress effects on interdiffusion over short length scales. A new project is on chemical mixing effects and deviations from Darken behaviour.
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Electromigration damage in integrated circuit interconnects
Dr A. L. Greer, Dr D.J. Foord (with Universities of Lancaster, Newcastle and York)
Narrow interconnect lines (initially of Al-Cu) are tested at high current densities to observe electromigration damage and study the mechanisms of damage and failure. The damage is related to microstructure and to electrical characteristics; the mechanisms are simulated using finite-element modelling.
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Properties of Zr-based bulk metallic glasses
Prof Whanam Myung, Dr A L Greer, Dr I M Hutchings (Chonnam University, Korea)
Multicomponent alloys based on zirconium can form glasses at low cooling rates, permitting formation in bulk (i.e. 1 cm thickness). Various properties are tested, including abrasive wear resistance.
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Solidification of undercooled alloys
Dr D Camel (CEA, Grenoble), Dr B Vinet (CEA, Grenoble), Dr M D Dupouy (INPG, Grenoble), Dr A L Greer, A M Bunn, M W Meredith, J R Wilde (The British Council)
An Anglo-French bilateral exchange programme "Alliance". Complementary facilities and expertise in Cambridge and Grenoble are applied to a number of problems in alloy solidification: disorder-trapping in drop-tube processed compounds, the columnar-to-equiaxed transition and selection of intermetallic compounds in aluminium alloys, formation of refractory nanocrystalline materials.
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The nanocrystalline and supercooled liquid states of alloys
Dr A L Greer, Dr K Hono (NRIM, Japan), Prof A Inoue (Tohoku University, Japan), Prof D E Laughlin (Carnegie-Mellon Univ , USA), Dr A R Yavari (INPG, France) (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Japan.)
An international collaboration on the fundamental mechanisms of microstructural development in nanocrystalline and bulk amorphous materials, with a focus on improving mechanical and magnetic properties.
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Ni-based nanophase composites by rapid solidification
J R Wilde, Dr A L Greer (EPSRC (Standard Award))
Melt-spinning is used to process Ni-based compositions with the aim of obtaining nanometre-scale dispersions of carbides in a crystalline matrix. Both microstructure and properties will be characterized.
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Microstructural engineering by solidification processing
Prof L Arnberg (NTH, Trondheim), Prof H Fredriksson (KTH, Stockholm), Dr A L Greer, Dr J Lacaze (ENSCT, Toulouse), Dr A Ludwig (RWTH Aachen), Dr C Paradies (EPFL, Lausanne) (European Commission)
A European Thematic Network (Exploratory Phase), aiming to co-ordinate research activities in the following areas: (i) nucleation and grain refinement processes, (ii) solidification kinetics and microsegregation, (iii) thermophysical data, (iv) the first stage of the solidification of castings, (v) surface treatments, (vi) thermal stresses and strains during solidification, and (vii) meso- and macro-segregations.
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Metastable states and phases
Dr A Garcia Escorial (CENIM, Madrid), Dr A L Greer, Dr D M Herlach (DLR, Cologne), Dr M Kolb (Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau), Dr W Loser (IFW, Dresden), Dr B Vinet (CEA, Grenoble) (European Space Agency)
An ESA Topical Team to co-ordinate the ground-based activities of different research groups working on metastable states and phases. Aims to identify critical scientific problems which can be solved by means of carefully prepared microgravity experiments.
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Solidification of intermetallic phases from undercooled metallic melts
Dr A L Greer, Dr D M Herlach (DLR, Cologne) (The British Council)
A bilateral Anglo-German exchange programme (ARC Project) for research on the rapid solidification of intermetallic compounds from undercooled melts. The melts are electromagnetically levitated and the solidification is triggered at selected undercoolings. The growth kinetics are modelled, including such non-equilibrium effects as disorder trapping.
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Focused ion beam processing of materials
Dr D J Foord, A Latif, Dr D F Moore (Engineering), Prof C J Humphreys, Dr A L Greer, Dr S B Newcomb, Dr M G Blamire (EPSRC, FEI Europe Ltd, Private)
Focused ion beam systems operate in a manner identical to a scanning electron microscope with the difference that gallium ions are the scanned species. This allows for the direct removal of material as well as imaging of the sample surface; since the beam can be controlled by a pattern generator this allows direct patterning of a sample. For example it is possible to image the surface of a semiconductor circuit and then to section it to image buried layers at a particular point; TEM specimens can then be fabricated in a desired area of the circuit by further focused ion beam milling. We are collaborating with the equipment manufacturers to investigate the application of these systems in Materials Science and to provide a service for general users in the University.
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