Abstract: Gold nanoparticles are studied extensively due to their unique optical and catalytical properties. Their exact shape determines the properties and thereby the possible applications. Electron tomography is therefore often used to examine the three-dimensional (3D) shape of nanoparticles. However, since the acquisition of the experimental tilt series and the 3D reconstructions are very time consuming, it is difficult to obtain statistical results concerning the 3D shape of nanoparticles. Here, we propose a new approach for electron tomography that is based on artificial neural networks. The use of a new reconstruction approach enables us to reduce the number of projection images with a factor of 5 or more. The decrease in acquisition time of the tilt series and use of an efficient reconstruction algorithm allows us to examine a large amount of nanoparticles in order to retrieve statistical results concerning the 3D shape.

Abstract: Thermal diffuse scattered electrons significantly contribute to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images. Their intensity adds to the background and is peaked at positions of atomic columns. In this paper we suggest an approximation to simulate intensity of thermal diffuse scattered electrons in plane-wave illumination transmission electron microscopy using an emission-potential multislice algorithm which is computationally less intensive than the frozen lattice approximation or the mutual intensity approach. Intensity patterns are computed for Au and InSb for different crystal orientations. These results are compared with intensities from the frozen lattice approximation based on uncorrelated vibration of atoms as well as with the frozen phonon approximation for Au. The frozen phonon method uses a detailed phonon model based on force constants we computed by a density functional theory approach. The comparison shows that our suggested emission-potential method is in close agreement with both the frozen lattice and the frozen phonon approximations.

Abstract: Using the combination of an electron biprism and an energy filter, the coherence distribution in an inelastically scattered wave-field is measured. It is found that the degree of coherence decreases rapidly with increasing distance between two superimposed points in the object, and with increasing energy-loss. In a Si sample, coherence of plasmon scattering increases in vacuum with the distance from the edge of the sample. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Abstract: This work presents a new carbonsilica hybrid material, denoted as CSM, with remarkable sorption properties. It consists of intraporous graphitic nanocrystals grown in the pores of mesoporous silica. CSM is obtained by a subtle incipient wetness impregnation of Al-containing mesoporous silica with furfuryl alcohol (FA)/hemelitol solutions. Both the volume match of the impregnation solution with that of the silica template pore volume, and the presence of Al3+ in the silica, are crucial to polymerize FA selectively inside the mesopores. Carbonization of the intraporous polymer was then performed by pyrolysis under He up to 1273 K. The resulting CSMs were examined by SEM, HRTEM, 27Al MAS NMR, N2 adsorption, XRD, TGA, TPD, XPS, pycnometry and Raman spectroscopy. Mildly oxidized graphitic-like carbon nanoblocks, consisting of a few graphene-like sheets, were thus identified inside the template mesopores. Random stacking of these carbon crystallites generates microporosity resulting in biporous materials at low carbon content and microporous materials at high carbon loadings. Very narrow pore distributions were obtained when pyrolysis was carried out under slow heating rate, viz. 1 K min−1. Adsorption and shape selective properties of the carbon filled mesoporous silica were studied by performing pulse chromatography and breakthrough experiments, and by measuring adsorption isotherms of linear and branched alkanes. Whereas the parent mesoporous silica shows unselective adsorption, their CSM analogues preferentially adsorb linear alkanes. The sorption capacity and selectivity can be adjusted by changing the pore size of the template or by varying the synthesis conditions. A relation between the carbon crystallites size and the shape selective behaviour of the corresponding CSM for instance is demonstrated. Most interestingly, CSM shows separation factors for linear and branched alkanes up to values comparable to those of zeolitic molecular sieves.

Abstract: High-quality single crystals of Rb2ZnCl4 and K2ZnCl4, pure or doped with Cu, Mn, Cd, Tl, Sn, Pb and In cations, were grown by Czochralski technique in argon atmosphere, using an experimental setup that allows direct visual access to the whole growth zone. Slowly cooled crystals exhibit excellent cleavage properties. Fastly cooled crystals do cleave poorly. As shown by X-ray diffraction studies, such K2ZnCl4 samples exhibit inclusions of the high-temperature Pmcn phase with lattice parameters a = 7.263(2) Angstrom, b = 12.562(2) Angstrom and c = 8.960(4) Angstrom in the P2(1) cn room temperature stable phase. ESR and optical spectroscopy studies revealed the localization and valence state of the cation dopants. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: This HREM investigation focuses on the influence of point defects on the final epitaxial relation and atomic interface configuration in a CoSi2/Si(1 0 0) heterostructure. A two-step SPE-MBE grown CoSi2/Si(1 0 0) system is used and, by altering the number of deposited Co monolayers in the template layer, the point defect behavior is studied. We propose a film growth model in which the knowledge about the reconstructed (2 x 1) : Si(1 0 0) surface, the point defect behavior in the presence of an interface, especially a silicide interface, the migration of point defects through a lattice by formation of [1 0 0]-split interstitial (dumbbell) atomic configurations, and a new type of extended defect configurations in diamond type materials will all amalgamate. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract: In this paper, it has been investigated how to measure atom column positions as accurately and precisely as possible using a focal series of images. In theory, it is expected that the precision would considerably improve using a maximum likelihood estimator based on the full series of focal images. As such, the theoretical lower bound on the variances of the unknown atom column positions can be attained. However, this approach is numerically demanding. Therefore, maximum likelihood estimation has been compared with the results obtained by fitting a model to a reconstructed exit wave rather than to the full series of focal images. Hence, a real space model-based exit wave reconstruction technique based on the channelling theory is introduced. Simulations show that the reconstructed complex exit wave contains the same amount of information concerning the atom column positions as the full series of focal images. Only for thin samples, which act as weak phase objects, this information can be retrieved from the phase of the reconstructed complex exit wave.

Abstract: It has often been stated that a holographic biprism represents a near perfect energy filter and only elastically scattered electrons can participate in the interference fringes. This is based on the assumption that the reference wave does not contain inelastically scattered electrons. In this letter we show that this is not exactly true because of the delocalised inelastic interaction of the reference wave with the sample. We experimentally and theoretically show that inelastic scattering plays a role in the fringe formation, but it is shown that this contribution is small and can usually be neglected in practice. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.