Identifying the forces responsible for self-organization of nanostructures at crystal surfaces

Nature ◽  
10.1038/16667 ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 397 (6716) ◽  
pp. 238-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Pohl ◽  
M. C. Bartelt ◽  
J. de la Figuera ◽  
N. C. Bartelt ◽  
J. Hrbek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Self Organization ◽  
Crystal Surfaces

scholarly journals The memory of surfaces: epitaxial growth on quasi-crystals

2012 ◽  
Vol 370 (1969) ◽  
pp. 2930-2948 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. McGrath ◽  
H. R. Sharma ◽  
J. A. Smerdon ◽  
J. Ledieu
Keyword(s):  
Epitaxial Growth ◽  
Crystal Structures ◽  
Transfer Process ◽  
Information Transfer ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Substrate Interactions ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Quasi Crystals

If crystal structures can be viewed as repositories of information, then crystal surfaces offer a pathway by which this information can be used to grow new structures through the process of epitaxy. The information transfer process is one of self-organization, and the kinetic and energetic factors influencing this are complex. They include the relative strengths of the adsorbate–adsorbate and adsorbate–substrate interactions, the flux of incoming species and the temperature of the system. In this brief review, we explore how the interplay of these factors influences the degree to which the epitaxial structures retain the ‘memory’ of the template, illustrating the discussion with examples from epitaxy on quasi-crystal surfaces.

Self-Organization Phenomena at Crystal Surfaces

2004 ◽  
pp. 57-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitaly A. Shchukin ◽  
Nikolai N. Ledentsov ◽  
Dieter Bimberg
Keyword(s):  
Self Organization ◽  
Crystal Surfaces

Electron-Mirror Microscopic Aspects of Ferroelectric Domains of BaTiO3 And Ca2Sr (C2H5CO2)6

1970 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 478-479
Author(s):  
Teruo Someya ◽  
Jinzo Kobayashi
Keyword(s):  
Surface Layer ◽  
Electric Fields ◽  
Quantitative Study ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Ferroelectric Domain ◽  
Resolving Power ◽  
Surface Pattern ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Ferroelectric Domains

Recent progress in the electron-mirror microscopy (EMM), e.g., an improvement of its resolving power together with an increase of the magnification makes it useful for investigating the ferroelectric domain physics. English has recently observed the domain texture in the surface layer of BaTiO3. The present authors ) have developed a theory by which one can evaluate small one-dimensional electric fields and/or topographic step heights in the crystal surfaces from their EMM pictures. This theory was applied to a quantitative study of the surface pattern of BaTiO3).

In situ REM imaging of surface processes on ceramic bulk crystals from 300 to 1670 K in a conventional TEM

1991 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 660-661
Author(s):  
Z. L. Wang ◽  
J. Bentley
Keyword(s):  
High Temperatures ◽  
Image Resolution ◽  
Atomic Processes ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Beam Radiation ◽  
Surface Areas ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Reflection Electron Microscopy ◽  
Gas Reactions

Studying the behavior of surfaces at high temperatures is of great importance for understanding the properties of ceramics and associated surface-gas reactions. Atomic processes occurring on bulk crystal surfaces at high temperatures can be recorded by reflection electron microscopy (REM) in a conventional transmission electron microscope (TEM) with relatively high resolution, because REM is especially sensitive to atomic-height steps.Improved REM image resolution with a FEG: Cleaved surfaces of a-alumina (012) exhibit atomic flatness with steps of height about 5 Å, determined by reference to a screw (or near screw) dislocation with a presumed Burgers vector of b = (1/3)<012> (see Fig. 1). Steps of heights less than about 0.8 Å can be clearly resolved only with a field emission gun (FEG) (Fig. 2). The small steps are formed by the surface oscillating between the closely packed O and Al stacking layers. The bands of dark contrast (Fig. 2b) are the result of beam radiation damage to surface areas initially terminated with O ions.

Various technic for the measurement of step thickness on crystal surfaces

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 438-439
Author(s):  
C. Boulesteix ◽  
C. Colliex ◽  
C. Mory ◽  
B. Pardo ◽  
D. Renard
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thickness ◽  
Symmetric Case ◽  
Transmitted Intensity ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Bright Field ◽  
Excited Wave ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Contrast Mechanisms ◽  
Step Thickness ◽  
Thickness Variations

Contrast mechanisms, which are responsible of the various types of image formation, are generally thickness dependant. In the following, two imaging modes in the 100 kV CTEM are described : they are highly sensitive to thickness variations and can be used for quantitative estimations of step heights.Detailed calculations (1) of the bright-field intensity have been carried out in the 3 (or 2N+l)-beam symmetric case. They show that in given conditions, the two important symmetric Bloch waves interfere most strongly at a critical thickness for which they have equal emergent amplitudes (the more excited wave at the entrance surface is also the more absorbed). The transmitted intensity I for a Nd2O3 specimen has been calculated as a function of thickness t. The capacity of the method to detect a step and measure its height can be more clearly deduced from a plot of dl/Idt as shown in fig. 1.

Surface reactions observed by photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM)

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 286-287
Author(s):  
H.H. Rotermund
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Work Function ◽  
Chemical Reactions ◽  
Reaction Diffusion ◽  
Dynamic Processes ◽  
Clean Surface ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Single Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Photoemission Electron

Chemical reactions at a surface will in most cases show a measurable influence on the work function of the clean surface. This change of the work function δφ can be used to image the local distributions of the investigated reaction,.if one of the reacting partners is adsorbed at the surface in form of islands of sufficient size (Δ>0.2μm). These can than be visualized via a photoemission electron microscope (PEEM). Changes of φ as low as 2 meV give already a change in the total intensity of a PEEM picture. To achieve reasonable contrast for an image several 10 meV of δφ are needed. Dynamic processes as surface diffusion of CO or O on single crystal surfaces as well as reaction / diffusion fronts have been observed in real time and space.

Attractive mode force microscopy of chiral liquid crystal surfaces

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 268-269
Author(s):  
B.D. Terris ◽  
R. J. Twieg ◽  
C. Nguyen ◽  
G. Sigaud ◽  
H. T. Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Free Surfaces ◽  
Control Range ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Liquid Crystal Films ◽  
Chiral Liquid Crystal ◽  
Crystal Films ◽  
Electrostatic Charging ◽  
And Shifts

We have used a force microscope in the attractive, or noncontact, mode to image a variety of surfaces. In this mode, the microscope tip is oscillated near its resonant frequency and shifts in this frequency due to changes in the surface-tip force gradient are detected. We have used this technique in a variety of applications to polymers, including electrostatic charging, phase separation of ionomer surfaces, and crazing of glassy films.Most recently, we have applied the force microscope to imaging the free surfaces of chiral liquid crystal films. The compounds used (Table 1) have been chosen for their polymorphic variety of fluid mesophases, all of which exist within the temperature control range of our force microscope.

Contrasts of planar defects in reflection electron microscopy

1993 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 1004-1005
Author(s):  
Feng Tsai ◽  
J. M. Cowley
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Surface Defects ◽  
Practical Importance ◽  
Theoretical Treatment ◽  
Crystal Surfaces ◽  
Planar Defects ◽  
Surface Steps ◽  
Surface Reconstructions ◽  
Domain Boundaries ◽  
Reflection Electron Microscopy

Reflection electron microscopy (REM) has been used to study surface defects such as surface steps, dislocations emerging on crystal surfaces, and surface reconstructions. However, only a few REM studies have been reported about the planar defects emerging on surfaces. The interaction of planar defects with surfaces may be of considerable practical importance but so far there seems to be only one relatively simple theoretical treatment of the REM contrast and very little experimental evidence to support its predications. Recently, intersections of both 90° and 180° ferroelectric domain boundaries with BaTiO3 crystal surfaces have been investigated by Tsai and Cowley with REM.The REM observations of several planar defects, such as stacking faults and domain boundaries have been continued by the present authors. All REM observations are performed on a JEM-2000FX transmission electron microscope. The sample preparations may be seen somewhere else. In REM, the incident electron beam strikes the surface of a crystal with a small glancing angle.

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