Effect of Dynamic Reconstruction on Particle Size and Morphology in Atom Probe Tomography.

Abstract

Atom probe tomography enables three-dimensional mapping of elements within material volumes with subnanometer resolution. Standard tomographic reconstruction methods rely on simplified assumptions regarding key parameters such as the field factor and image compression factor, which can introduce inaccuracies. In this study, we apply a dynamic reconstruction approach that adjusts these parameters in response to the evolving morphology of the specimen during field evaporation. Our results show that dynamic reconstruction significantly improves the accuracy of measurements, particularly regarding the size and morphology of nanoscale particles in aluminum and nickel alloys. Compared with standard reconstruction, the dynamic approach provides more accurate particle dimensions and shapes. These findings underscore the benefits of using dynamic reconstruction for the precise characterization of complex microstructures, especially in particle-containing materials.