Low-temperature nanocrystal unification through rotations and relaxations probed by in situ transmission electron microscopy.

van Huis, Marijn A; Kunneman, Lucas T; Overgaag, Karin; Xu, Qiang; Pandraud, Gregory; Zandbergen, Henny W; Vanmaekelbergh, Daniël · Nano Lett · 2008

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Through the mechanism of "oriented attachment", small nanocrystals can fuse into a wide variety of one- and two-dimensional nanostructures. This fusion phenomenon is investigated in detail by low-temperature annealing of a two-dimensional array of 10 nm-sized PbSe nanocrystals, in situ in the transmission electron microscope. We have revealed a complex chain of processes; after coalescence, the connected nanocrystals undergo consecutive rotations in three-dimensional space, followed by drastic interfacial relaxations whereby full fusion is obtained.

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