Focused ion beam-induced displacive phase transformation from austenite to martensite during fabrication of quenched and partitioned steel micro-pillar

We report evidence of a displacive phase transformation from retained austenite to martensite during preparation of quenched and partitioned steel micro-pillars by using a focused ion beam (FIB) technique. The BCC phase produced by the FIB damage was identified as martensite. The invariant-plane strain surface relief associated with the martensitic transformation was observed in the retained austenite phase immediately after a FIB scan of the surface with the Ga+ ion beam. Use of a low acceleration voltage appears to lower the probability of the phase transformation, while a decrease of the acceleration voltage will result in an increase of the total milling time required to prepare a micro-pillar. This report addresses challenges related to the preparation of austenite micro-pillars by a conventional FIB technique. Published by Elsevier B.V.