Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

New insight into the atomic segregation of copper to an aluminum grain boundary has been obtained using multiple, complementary atomic resolution electron microscopy techniques coupled with ab-initio electronic structure calculations. The copper segregation is site specific and changes the structure of the boundary by occupying interstitial sites. Minor elemental constituents in materials can have profound effects on their engineering performance. This change in structure can be associated with these strong effects. The observed structural change will alter the mass transport behavior of the boundary and has implications for the understanding of electromigration mechanisms.