Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy studies of anAl-Pd-Mn thin film prepared by a combined technique of vacuum deposition and thermal annealing

A thin-film sample of Al-Pd-Mn ternary alloy has been produced by a vacuum deposition technique using dual evaporation sources. followed by thermal an nealing. The microstructure of the film has been examined by transmission e lectron microscopy (TEM) and by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The TEM obse rvations reveal that the film has a granular texture of highly ordered icos ahedral phase islands embedded in the matrix consisting mainly of multiple- twinned crystals exhibiting a pseudotenfold symmetry. It is shown by AFM th at the icosahedral islands form protuberant structures with the average hei ght of approximately 50 nm.