High-resolution elemental maps for three directions of Mg₂Si phase in Al-Mg-Si alloy

Elemental maps of the Mg and Si sub-lattices of the Mg₂Si phase in an Al-1.0mass% Mg₂Si alloy were produced using an energy-filtering transmission electron microscope (EFTEM). Low magnification elemental maps were obtained using both low and high energy loss edges, and the intensities of the high energy loss edges were sufficiently high to allow the Mg₂Si phase to be observed at high magnification. High-resolution core-loss images of Mg and Si-K edges were taken parallel to [001], [111] and [110] of the Mg₂Si phase. In the [110] direction, Mg and Si atoms were successfully identified as sub-lattices. The Mg atoms formed a 0.39 nm diamond network, whereas the Si atoms formed a 0.32 nm by 0.22 nm rectangular network. This result is in good agreement with the projected potential of the Mg₂Si phase in the [110] direction. This is the first report of magnesium and silicon atoms in the Mg₂Si phase being successfully identified at the atomic level by EFTEM.