Atomic imaging of phase transitions and morphology transformations in nanocrystals

Abstract

A newly developed SiN microhotplate allows specimens to be studied at temperatures up to 1000 K at a resolution of 100 picometer (see image). Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy has become a commonplace tool to investigate stable crystals; however, imaging transient nanocrystals is much more demanding. Morphological transformations in gold nanoparticles and layer-by-layer sublimation of PbSe nanocrystals is imaged with atomic resolution.