A review of advantages of high-efficiency X-ray spectrum imaging for analysis of nanostructured ferritic alloys

Nanostructured ferritic alloys (NFAs) exhibit complex microstructures consisting of 100-500 nm ferrite grains, grain boundary solute enrichment, and multiple populations of precipitates and nanoclusters (NCs). Understanding these materials' excellent creep and radiation-tolerance properties requires a combination of multiple atomic-scale experimental techniques. Recent advances in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) hardware and data analysis methods have the potential to revolutionize nanometer-to micrometer-scale materials analysis. Modern high-brightness, high-X-ray collection STEM instruments are capable of enabling advanced experiments, such as simultaneous energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy spectrum imaging at nm to sub-nm resolution, that are now well-established for the study of nuclear materials. In this paper, we review past results and present new results illustrating the effectiveness of latest-generation STEM instrumentation and data analysis.