Zone-axis ALCHEMI for the rapid assessment of site occupancies in garnets

ALCHEMI (Atom Location by CHannelling-Enhanced Microanalysis) is a TEM technique for determining site occupancies in single crystals. The method uses the channelling of incident electrons along specific crystallographic planes. This channelling results in enhanced x-ray emission from the atoms on those planes, thereby providing the required site-occupancy information. ALCHEMI has been applied with success to spinel, olivine and feldspar. For the garnets, which form a large group of important minerals and synthetic compounds, the channelling effect is weaker, and significant results are more difficult to obtain. It was found, however, that the channelling effect is pronounced for low-index zone-axis orientations, yielding a method for assessing site occupancies that is rapid and easy to perform.