Nanostructure with diffuse streaks in ScRh₃B_0.6 compound studied by electron microscopy

We have investigated a characteristic nanostructure with sharp diffuse streaks in a Cu₃Au/anti-perovskite-type ScRh₃B_0.6 compound by electron diffraction, and phase- and Z-contrast high-resolution electron microscopy. The electron diffraction patterns reveal diffuse streaks running along <111>* directions and [Formula presented][Formula presented][Formula presented]–type superlattice reflections. The maxima of the streaks can be expressed as a modulation vector q (= α·(a_f* + b_f* + c_f*), α = 0.384). The observed HRTEM image taken along the [011] direction with the diffuse streaks indicates a planar domain structure on {111} planes. The superlattice is due to boron/vacancy orderings with planar nanodomains. The diffuse streaks in reciprocal space correspond to well-ordered domains with disturbed periodicity along the <111> directions.