Atomic scale volume and grain boundary diffusion elucidated by in situ STEM

Diffusion is one of the most important phenomena studied in science ranging from physics to biology and, in abstract form, even in social sciences. In the field of materials science, diffusion in crystalline solids is of particular interest as it plays a pivotal role in materials synthesis, processing and applications. While this subject has been studied extensively for a long time there are still some fundamental knowledge gaps to be filled. In particular, atomic scale observations of thermally stimulated volume diffusion and its mechanisms are still lacking. In addition, the mechanisms and kinetics of diffusion along defects such as grain boundaries are not yet fully understood. In this work we show volume diffusion processes of tungsten atoms in a metal matrix on the atomic scale. Using in situ high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy we are able to follow the random movement of single atoms within a lattice at elevated temperatures. The direct observation allows us to confirm random walk processes, quantify diffusion kinetics and distinctly separate diffusion in the volume from diffusion along defects. This work solidifies and refines our knowledge of the broadly essential mechanism of volume diffusion.