Search results for "scanning transmission electron microscopy"
showing 10 items of 31 documents
Metallic interconnects for SOFC : characterization of their corrosion resistance in hydrogen/water atmosphere and at the operating temperatures of di…
2006
International audience; Chromia forming alloys are one of the best candidates for the interconnecting materials in solid oxide fuels cells (SOFC). Recent research has enabled to decrease the operating temperature of the SOFC from 1000 °C to 800 °C. However, low electronic conductivity and high volatility of the chromia scale need to be solved to improve performance of interconnects. In the field of high temperature oxidation of metals, it is well known that the addition of reactive elements into alloys or in thin film coatings, improve the oxidation resistance of alloys at high temperature. The elements of the beginning of the lanthanide group and yttrium are the most efficient. The goal of…
Interfacial disorder of graphene grown at high temperatures on 4H-SiC(000-1)
2016
This paper presents an investigation of the morphological and structural properties of graphene (Gr) grown on SiC(000-1) by thermal treatments at high temperatures (from 1850 to 1950 °C) in Ar at atmospheric pressure. Atomic force microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy showed that the grown Gr films are laterally inhomogeneous in the number of layers, and that regions with different stacking-type (coupled or decoupled Gr films) can coexist in the same sample. Scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy shoed that a nm-thick C-Si-O amorphous layer is present at the interface between Gr and SiC. Basing on these structural results, the mechanisms of Gr grow…
Nanoscale structural and electrical properties of graphene grown on AlGaN by catalyst-free chemical vapor deposition
2020
The integration of graphene (Gr) with nitride semiconductors is highly interesting for applications in high-power/high-frequency electronics and optoelectronics. In this work, we demonstrated the direct growth of Gr on Al0.5Ga0.5N/sapphire templates by propane (C3H8) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at temperature of 1350{\deg}C. After optimization of the C3H8 flow rate, a uniform and conformal Gr coverage was achieved, which proved beneficial to prevent degradation of AlGaN morphology. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) revealed Ga loss and partial oxidation of Al in the near-surface AlGaN region. Such chemical modification of a 2 nm thick AlGaN surface region was confirmed by cross-sec…
Nanoscale assembly processes revealed in the nacroprismatic transition zone of Pinna nobilis mollusc shells
2015
Intricate biomineralization processes in molluscs engineer hierarchical structures with meso-, nano-, and atomic architectures that give the final composite material exceptional mechanical strength and optical iridescence on the macroscale. This multiscale biological assembly inspires new synthetic routes to complex materials. Our investigation of the prism-nacre interface reveals nanoscale details governing the onset of nacre formation using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. A wedge polishing technique provides unprecedented, large-area specimens required to span the entire interface. Within this region, we find a transition from nanofibrillar aggregation to irregu…
Alkoxide-intercalated CoFe-layered double hydroxides as precursors of colloidal nanosheet suspensions: structural, magnetic and electrochemical prope…
2014
Alkoxide-intercalated CoFe-layered double hydroxides (CoFe–LDHs) were synthesized via the non-aqueous methanolic route. According to powder X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy, they exhibit a nanosized plate-like morphology with a basal space of 9.21 A. The hydrolysis of the material in water leads to colloidal suspensions of nanosheets with lateral dimensions of about 20 nm and thicknesses of ca. 4 nm as demonstrated by atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with electron energy-loss spectroscopy confirm the high crystalline quality of the crystals and the proper Co/Fe stoichio…
Morphological evolution of InAs/InP quantum wires through aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy
2010
Evolution of the size, shape and composition of self-assembled InAs/InP quantum wires through the Stranski–Krastanov transition has been determined by aberration-corrected Z-contrast imaging. High resolution compositional maps of the wires in the initial, intermediate and final formation stages are presented. (001) is the main facet at their very initial stage of formation, which is gradually reduced in favour of {114} or {118}, ending with the formation of mature quantum wires with {114} facets. Significant changes in wire dimensions are measured when varying slightly the amount of InAs deposited. These results are used as input parameters to build three-dimensional models that allow calcu…
Angstrom-Size Defect Creation and Ionic Transport through Pores in Single-Layer MoS2
2018
Atomic-defect engineering in thin membranes provides opportunities for ionic and molecular filtration and analysis. While molecular-dynamics (MD) calculations have been used to model conductance through atomic vacancies, corresponding experiments are lacking. We create sub-nanometer vacancies in suspended single-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) via Ga+ ion irradiation, producing membranes containing ∼300 to 1200 pores with average and maximum diameters of ∼0.5 and ∼1 nm, respectively. Vacancies exhibit missing Mo and S atoms, as shown by aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (AC-STEM). The longitudinal acoustic band and defect-related photoluminescence were observe…
Total-scattering pair-distribution function of organic material from powder electron diffraction data.
2014
AbstractThis paper shows that pair-distribution function (PDF) analyses can be carried out on organic and organometallic compounds from powder electron diffraction data. Different experimental setups are demonstrated, including selected area electron diffraction and nanodiffraction in transmission electron microscopy or nanodiffraction in scanning transmission electron microscopy modes. The methods were demonstrated on organometallic complexes (chlorinated and unchlorinated copper phthalocyanine) and on purely organic compounds (quinacridone). The PDF curves from powder electron diffraction data, called ePDF, are in good agreement with PDF curves determined from X-ray powder data demonstrat…
Chemically Selective Imaging of Individual Bonds through Scanning Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy: Disulfide Bridges Linking Gold Nanoclusters
2020
As proof-of-principle of chemically selective, spatially resolved imaging of individual bonds, we carry out electron energy-loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscopy instrument on atomically precise, thiolate-coated gold nanoclusters linked with 5,5'-bis(mercaptomethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine dithiol ligands. The images allow the identification of bridging disulfide bonds (R-S-S-R) between clusters, and X-ray photoelectron spectra support the finding.
Study of silica-based intrinsically emitting nanoparticles produced by an excimer laser
2019
International audience; We report an experimental study demonstrating the feasibility to produce both pure and Ge-doped silica nanoparticles (size ranging from tens up to hundreds of nanometers) using nanosecond pulsed KrF laser ablation of bulk glass. In particular, pure silica nanoparticles were produced using a laser pulse energy of 400 mJ on pure silica, whereas Ge-doped nanoparticles were obtained using 33 and 165 mJ per pulse on germanosilicate glass. The difference in the required energy is attributed to the Ge doping, which modifies the optical properties of the silica by facilitating energy absorption processes such as multiphoton absorption or by introducing absorbing point defect…