1.
Phys Rev Lett
; 105(23): 236401, 2010 Dec 03.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21231486
ABSTRACT
Nanoscale particles embedded in a metallic matrix are of considerable interest as a route towards identifying and tailoring material properties. Al-Li alloys, which form ordered nanoscale precipitates of Al(3)Li for a range of concentrations, have been deployed successfully in the aerospace industry owing to their superior strength-to-weight ratio. The precipitates are metastable and their electronic structure has so far been inaccessible through conventional techniques. Here, we take advantage of the strong positron affinity of Li to probe the Fermi surface of nanoscale Al(3)Li precipitates.