Polarization Selectivity of Aloof-Beam Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy in One-Dimensional ZnO Nanorods

Yao-Wen Yeh, Sobhit Singh, David Vanderbilt, and Philip E. Batson
Phys. Rev. Applied 16, 054009 – Published 3 November 2021

Abstract

Orientation-dependent electronic properties of wurtzite zinc oxide nanorods are characterized by aloof-beam electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) carried out in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The two key crystal orientation differentiating transitions specific to the in-plane (13.0 eV) and out-of-plane (11.2 eV) directions with respect to the wurtzite structure are examined by first-principles density-functional theory calculations. We note some degree of orientation dependence at the onset of direct band gap transition near 3.4 eV. We demonstrate that good polarization selectivity can be achieved by placing the electron probe at different locations around the specimen with increasing impact parameter while keeping the beam-specimen orientation fixed. The observed results are qualitatively elucidated in terms of the perpendicular electric fields generated by the fast electron (60 kV) used in the microscope. The fact that good polarization selectivity can be achieved by aloof-beam EELS without the requirement of sample reorientation is an attractive aspect from the characterization method point of view in the STEM-EELS community.

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  • Received 10 August 2021
  • Revised 15 September 2021
  • Accepted 20 October 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.16.054009

© 2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Yao-Wen Yeh*, Sobhit Singh, David Vanderbilt, and Philip E. Batson

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA

  • *yaowen@physics.rutgers.edu
  • sobhit.singh@rutgers.edu

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Vol. 16, Iss. 5 — November 2021

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