ARHVTEM of the Pd/ZnO heterointerface chemical structure

Atomic-resolution high-voltage transmission electron microscopy was applied to the atomic structure analysis of a well-defined Pd/ZnO polar interface, which was produced by internal oxidation. Viewing the ZnO along <1120> axis, each atomic column consists of either oxygen or zinc, so that an individual column was directly identified from the image contrast of the picture taken at the Scherzer defocus condition. The terminating chemical element at the Pd/ZnO interface, which is parallel to [111]Pd and to [0001]ZnO, was shown to be zinc but not oxygen on both sides of the precipitate.