High-index facets in gold nanocrystals elucidated by coherent electron diffraction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Crystallography

Background:

• Characterizing high-index facets on noble metal nanocrystals is crucial for plasmonics and catalysis.
• Small sizes and complex shapes of nanocrystals pose significant challenges in facet determination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a novel approach for determining high-index facets in noble metal nanocrystals.
• To compare high-index facets on various nanostructures, including trisoctahedra.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing streaked Bragg reflections in coherent electron diffraction patterns.
• Applying the method to analyze unusual nanostructures like trisoctahedra.

Main Results:

• Successfully determined high-index facets on noble metal nanocrystals.
• Identified new high-index facets present in trisoctahedra nanostructures.
• Revealed previously unappreciated diversity in the sharpness of these facets.

Conclusions:

• The presented method offers a reliable way to characterize high-index facets.
• The findings expand the understanding of facet diversity in complex nanocrystal shapes.
• This work has implications for designing nanocrystals for advanced plasmonic and catalytic applications.