Reflection electron microscopy study of structural transformations on a clean silicon surface in sublimation, phase transition and homoepitaxy

AbstractThermally induced structural transformation of 2D materials opens unique avenues for generating other 2D materials by physical methods. Imaging these transitions in real time provides insight into synthesis routes and property tuning. We have used in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to follow thermally induced structural transformations in layered CoSe2. Three transformation processes are observed: orthorhombic to cubic-CoSe2, cubic-CoSe2 to hexagonal-CoSe, and hexagonal to tetragonal-CoSe. In particular, the unit-cell-thick orthorhombic structure of CoSe2 transforms into cubic-CoSe2 via rearrangement of lattice atoms. Cubic-CoSe2 transforms to hexagonal-CoSe at elevated temperatures through the removal of chalcogen atoms. All nanosheets transform to basal-plane-oriented hexagonal 2D CoSe. Finally, the hexagonal to tetragonal transformation in CoSe is a rapid process wherein the layered morphology of hexagonal-CoSe is broken and islands of tetragonal-CoSe are formed. Our results provide nanoscopic insights into the transformation processes of 2D CoSe2 which can be used to generate these intriguing 2D materials and to tune their properties by modifying their structures for electro-catalytic and electronic applications.

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UHV Electron Microscopy study of in situ annealed (100) surfaces of MgO

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100087434 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 624-625

Author(s):

M. Gajdardziska-Josifovska ◽

M. R. McCartney ◽

J. M. Cowley

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Surface Characterization ◽

High Vacuum ◽

Microscopy Study ◽

Electron Microscopy Study ◽

Ultra High Vacuum ◽

Frequent Use ◽

Reflection Electron Microscopy ◽

Catalyst Systems

The (100) surface of magnesium oxide is of considerable interest because of its frequent use as substrate for epitaxial growth of metal films, high Tc superconductors and model catalyst systems. A large number of surface characterization techniques have been used to determine the atomic structure of the cleaved (100) surface. Clean surfaces have been produced either by cleaving MgO crystals in-situ under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions, or more frequently, by cleaving in air and subsequent annealing in UHV. A wide variety of annealing temperatures and times have been used by different researchers, the upper limit on the temperature being set at ≈900°C to avoid segregation of Ca to the surface. Calcium is the main impurity in even the purest MgO crystals and a few studies have dealt with the structure of the Ca-rich (100) surface of MgO. All of the existing studies have used diffraction and spectroscopy techniques without imaging of the surface. It is the purpose of this work to study the topography of the UHV-annealed (100) surface by reflection electron microscopy (REM).

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