Measuring Dynamic Structural Changes of Nanoparticles at the Atomic Scale Using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Annelies De wael, Annick De Backer, Lewys Jones, Aakash Varambhia, Peter D. Nellist, and Sandra Van Aert
Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 106105 – Published 13 March 2020
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Abstract

We propose a new method to measure atomic scale dynamics of nanoparticles from experimental high-resolution annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy images. By using the so-called hidden Markov model, which explicitly models the possibility of structural changes, the number of atoms in each atomic column can be quantified over time. This newly proposed method outperforms the current atom-counting procedure and enables the determination of the probabilities and cross sections for surface diffusion. This method is therefore of great importance for revealing and quantifying the atomic structure when it evolves over time via adatom dynamics, surface diffusion, beam effects, or during in situ experiments.

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  • Received 17 October 2019
  • Accepted 30 January 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.106105

© 2020 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Annelies De wael1,2, Annick De Backer1,2, Lewys Jones3,4,5, Aakash Varambhia3,†, Peter D. Nellist3, and Sandra Van Aert1,2,*

  • 1EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
  • 2NANOlab Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
  • 3Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, OX1 3PH Oxford, United Kingdom
  • 4Advanced Microscopy Laboratory, Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN), Dublin 2, Ireland
  • 5School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland

  • *sandra.vanaert@uantwerpen.be
  • Present address: Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Blounts Court Road, Sonning Common, RG4 9NH Reading, United Kingdom.

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Issue

Vol. 124, Iss. 10 — 13 March 2020

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