Nanoscale Imaging and Spectroscopy of Nanostructured Materials – Electron Microscopy and Beyond

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 February 2021) | Viewed by 4520

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Centre for Nanofabrication and Characterization, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej 307, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
Interests: high-resolution electron microscopy; energy-filtered imaging and in situ electron microscopy; characterization and in situ study of semiconductor nanowires; nanoparticle catalysts and low-contrast materials such as carbon nanotubes and graphene; particular interested in atomic scale imaging and spectroscopy of nanostructured materials response to the presence of gas and heat

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It has become evident in recent years that nanotechnology is capable of producing materials that have properties that are not found in nature (at least on earth). In order to understand the macroscopic properties of materials, it is essential to gain an insight into the nature of the smallest building blocks, and here, nanoscale imaging research comes to the fore.

Nanoscale imaging research comes in many guises, but few are as versatile as electron microscopy. Probing nanoscale materials with high-energy electrons results in a plethora of different characterization possibilities. These include morphological and crystallographic information on the nanoscale, as well as elemental, chemical, and plasmonic mapping and responses. Furthermore, electron microscopy is also capable of mapping electric and magnetic fields at the nanoscale.

In situ electron microscopy, which describes the imaging and analysis of samples while they are exposed to external stimuli and environment, is a rapidly developing field. External stimuli include gas exposure, heat treatment, indentation, light exposure, electrical bias, fluid exposure, magnetization, etc.

Building a full laboratory in the confined space of an electron microscope without compromising the general performance of the instrument is an ongoing and necessary step towards moving electron microscopy from a technique providing aesthetically pleasing images to a characterization tool, which, together with complementary techniques, advances materials science research.

Prof. Dr. Jakob Birkedal Wagner
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Electron microscopy
  • Nanostructures
  • Functional materials
  • Dynamics on the nanoscale
  • In situ

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 5869 KiB  
Article
In Situ Atomic-Scale Observation of Silver Oxidation Triggered by Electron Beam Irradiation
by Hui Zhang, Tao Xu, Yatong Zhu, Wen Wang, Hao Zhang, Dundong Yuan and Litao Sun
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(4), 1021; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11041021 - 16 Apr 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2141
Abstract
Understanding the mechanism of metal oxidation processes is critical for maintaining the desired properties of metals and catalysts, as well as for designing advanced materials. In this work, we investigate the electron beam induced oxidation of silver using in situ transmission electron microscopy. [...] Read more.
Understanding the mechanism of metal oxidation processes is critical for maintaining the desired properties of metals and catalysts, as well as for designing advanced materials. In this work, we investigate the electron beam induced oxidation of silver using in situ transmission electron microscopy. The additions of Ag-O columns on {111} and {110} planes were captured with atomic resolution. Interestingly, oscillatory growth on {110} planes was observed, which resulted from the double effect of electron beam irradiation. It was found that not only thermodynamic factors but also kinetic factors played significant roles in morphology evolutions. These results can facilitate the fundamental understanding of the oxidation process of Ag and provide a promising approach for the fabrication of desired nanostructures. Full article
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10 pages, 3428 KiB  
Article
Voltage-Controlled Anodic Oxidation of Porous Fluorescent SiC for Effective Surface Passivation
by Kosuke Yanai, Weifang Lu, Yoma Yamane, Dong-Pyo Han, Haiyan Ou, Motoaki Iwaya, Tetsuya Takeuchi, Satoshi Kamiyama and Isamu Akasaki
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(10), 2075; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10102075 - 21 Oct 2020
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1784
Abstract
This study investigated the fabrication of porous fluorescent SiC using a constant voltage-controlled anodic oxidation process. The application of a high, constant voltage resulted in a spatial distinction between the porous structures formed inside the fluorescent SiC substrates, due to the different etching [...] Read more.
This study investigated the fabrication of porous fluorescent SiC using a constant voltage-controlled anodic oxidation process. The application of a high, constant voltage resulted in a spatial distinction between the porous structures formed inside the fluorescent SiC substrates, due to the different etching rates at the terrace and the large step bunches. Large, dendritic porous structures were formed as the etching process continued and the porous layer thickened. Under the conditions of low hydrofluoric acid (HF) concentration, the uniformity of the dendritic porous structures through the entire porous layer was considerably improved compared with the conditions of high HF concentration. The resulting large uniform structure offered a sizable surface area, and promoted the penetration of atomic layer-deposited (ALD) Al2O3 films (ALD–Al2O3). The emission intensity in the porous fluorescent SiC was confirmed via photoluminescence (PL) measurements to be significantly improved by a factor of 128 after ALD passivation. With surface passivation, there was a clear blueshift in the emission wavelength, owing to the effective suppression of the non-radiative recombination rate in the porous structures. Furthermore, the spatial uniformity of emitted light was examined via PL mapping using three different excitation lasers, which resulted in the observation of uniform and distinctive emissions in the fluorescent SiC bulk and porous areas. Full article
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