Atomic imaging of phase transitions and morphology transformations in nanocrystals.

van Huis, Marijn A; Young, Neil P; Pandraud, Grégory; Creemer, J Fredrik; Vanmaekelbergh, Daniël; Kirkland, Angus I; Zandbergen, Henny W · Adv Mater · 2009

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

A newly developed SiN microhotplate allows specimens to be studied at temperatures up to 1000 K at a resolution of 100 picometer. Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy has become a commonplace tool to investigate stable crystals; however, imaging transient nanocrystals is much more demanding. Morphological transformations in gold nanoparticles and layer-by-layer sublimation of PbSe nanocrystals is imaged with atomic resolution.