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Electron Beam-Assisted Au Nanocrystal Shear and Rotation
Jiajian Guan1,2, Wuxin Yang2, Weidong Zhang3
1School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
Nano Letters
|January 24, 2025
Summary
Electron beam irradiation induces structural transitions in gold nanocrystals by creating a thermal spike. This process shifts the lattice from nonclose-packed to close-packed planes, enabling precise nanocrystal manipulation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Solid-State Physics
Background:
- Understanding beam-induced structural transitions is crucial for nanomaterial phase engineering.
- In situ studies of these transitions are experimentally challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate metastable structural transitions in gold nanocrystals under electron beam irradiation.
- To elucidate the mechanisms driving lattice changes and nanocrystal rotation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized aberration-corrected high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) for irradiation.
- Employed electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and the two-temperature model to estimate thermal spikes.
Main Results:
- Observed a transition from nonclose-packed (311, 220) to close-packed (111) Au lattice planes.
- Attributed the transition to shear strain gradients at grain boundaries, with a critical shear strain of ~0.2.
- Demonstrated nonrandom lattice rotation driven by the thermal spike.
Conclusions:
- Electron beam irradiation induces significant structural changes in gold nanocrystals via thermal spikes.
- Shear strain at grain boundaries plays a critical role in phase transitions.
- Provides insights for precise nanocrystal manipulation using beam-assisted techniques.
Keywords:
electron beam irradiationin situ observationsnanocrystalsstructural transitionsthermal spike effect
