File:Cai apb.png

English: This figure depicts two layers of atoms in a Ni3Al crystal, a binary alloy that often exhibits anti-phase boundaries. For visualization purposes, the atoms in the bottom layer are shown as larger than the top layer, but this is not actually the case. The translation of the top layer can be broken down into two steps, indicated by the small arrows 1 and 2. (b) The partial sliding of the top layer by the short vector 1 leads to the formation of a complex stacking fault. (c) The complete sliding of the top layer with the translation magnitude given by a unit lattice translation (1+2), resulting in the formation of an anti-phase boundary. If the top plane slips by two complete lattice spacings (1, 2, 3, and 4), a superdislocation is formed, and this is required for the perfect crystal structure to be restored. It is expected that this superdislocation, consisting of two perfect lattice translations, dissociates into four different partial dislocations with two on each side.