Abstract: Traditionally, direct imaging of atom diffusion is only available by scanning tunneling microscopy and field ion microscopy on geometry-constrained samples: flat surfaces for STM and needle tips for FIM. Here we show time-resolved atomic-scale HRTEM investigations of CeO2-supported Au nanoparticle surfaces to characterize the surface dynamics of atom columns on gold nanoparticles. The observed surface dynamics have been categorized into four types: layer jumping, layer gliding, re-orientation and surface reconstruction. We successfully captured atoms moving in a concerted manner with a time resolution of 0.1 s. A quantitative approach for measuring the dynamics in various gaseous surroundings at elevated temperatures is presented. An approach for measuring quantitative electron beam effects on the surface dynamics is presented by counting atom column occupation as a function of time under a range of dose rates in high vacuum.

Abstract: Understanding the coupling between spin and phonons is critical for controlling the lattice thermal conductivity (kappa ( l )) in magnetic materials, as we demonstrate here for CrX3 (X = Br and I) monolayers. We show that these compounds exhibit large spin-phonon coupling (SPC), dominated by out-of-plane vibrations of Cr atoms, resulting in significantly different phonon dispersions in ferromagnetic (FM) and paramagnetic (PM) phases. Lattice thermal conductivity calculations provide additional evidence for strong SPC, where particularly large kappa ( l ) is found for the FM phase. Most strikingly, PM and FM phases exhibit radically different behavior with tensile strain, where kappa ( l ) increases with strain for the PM phase, and strongly decreases for the FM phase-as we explain through analysis of phonon lifetimes and scattering rates. Taken all together, we uncover the high significance of SPC on the phonon transport in CrX3 monolayers, a result extendable to other 2D magnetic materials, that will be useful in further design of thermal spin devices.

Abstract: Understanding the behaviour of vortices under nanoscale confinement in superconducting circuits is important for the development of superconducting electronics and quantum technologies. Using numerical simulations based on the Ginzburg-Landau theory for non-homogeneous superconductivity in the presence of magnetic fields, we detail how lateral confinement organises vortices in a long superconducting nanostripe, presenting a phase diagram of vortex configurations as a function of the stripe width and magnetic field. We discuss why the average vortex density is reduced and reveal that confinement influences vortex dynamics in the dissipative regime under sourced electrical current, mapping out transitions between asynchronous and synchronous vortex rows crossing the nanostripe as the current is varied. Synchronous crossings are of particular interest, since they cause single-mode modulations in the voltage drop along the stripe in a high (typically GHz to THz) frequency range.

Abstract: Morphological characterization of nanoparticle assemblies and hybrid nanomaterials is critical in determining their structure-property relationships as well as in the development of structures with desired properties. Electron tomography has become a widely utilized technique for the three-dimensional characterization of nanoparticle assemblies. However, the extraction of quantitative morphological parameters from the reconstructed volume can be a complex and labor-intensive task. In this study, we aim to overcome this challenge by automating the volumetric segmentation process applied to three-dimensional reconstructions of nanoparticle assemblies. The key to enabling automated characterization is to assess the performance of different volumetric segmentation methods in accurately extracting predefined quantitative descriptors for morphological characterization. In our methodology, we compare the quantitative descriptors obtained through manual segmentation with those obtained through automated segmentation methods, to evaluate their accuracy and effectiveness. To show generality, our study focuses on the characterization of assemblies of CdSe/CdS quantum dots, gold nanospheres and CdSe/CdS encapsulated in polymeric micelles, and silica-coated gold nanorods decorated with both CdSe/CdS or PbS quantum dots. We use two unsupervised segmentation algorithms: the watershed transform and the spherical Hough transform. Our results demonstrate that the choice of automated segmentation method is crucial for accurately extracting the predefined quantitative descriptors. Specifically, the spherical Hough transform exhibits superior performance in accurately extracting quantitative descriptors, such as particle size and interparticle distance, thereby allowing for an objective, efficient, and reliable volumetric segmentation of complex nanoparticle assemblies.

Abstract: The influence of decoration with impurities and the composition dependent band gap in 2D materials has been the subject of debate for a long time. Here, by using Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, we systematically disclose physical properties of chlorinated phosphorene having the stoichiometry of PmCln. By analyzing the adsorption energy, charge density, migration energy barrier, structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of chlorinated phosphorene, we found that (I) the Cl-P bonds are strong with binding energy Eb =-1.61 eV, decreases with increasing n. (II) Cl atoms on phosphorene have anionic feature, (III) the migration path of Cl on phosphorene is anisotropic with an energy barrier of 0.38 eV, (IV) the phonon band dispersion reveal that chlorinated phosphorenes are stable when r <= 0.25 where r = m/n, (V) chlorinated phosphorenes is found to be a photonic crystal in the frequency range of 280 cm-1 to 325 cm-1, (VI) electronic band structure of chlorinated phosphorenes exhibits quasi-flat bands emerging around the Fermi level with widths in the range of 22 meV to 580 meV, and (VII) Cl adsorption causes a semiconducting to metallic/semi-metallic transition which makes it suitable for application as an electroactive material. To elucidate this application, we investigated the change in binding energy (Eb), specific capacity, and open-circuit voltage as a function of the density of adsorbed Cl. The theoretical storage capacity of the chlorinated phosphorene is found to be 168.19 mA h g-1with a large average voltage (similar to 2.08 V) which is ideal number as a cathode in chloride-ion batteries.

Abstract: A methodology for the quantitative compositional characterization of nickel silicides by high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) imaging is presented. HAADF-STEM images of a set of nickel silicide reference samples Ni3Si, Ni31Si12, Ni2Si, NiSi and NiSi2 are taken at identical experimental conditions. The correlation between sample thickness and HAADF-STEM intensity is discussed. In order to quantify the relationship between the experimental Z-contrast intensities and the composition of the analysed layers, the ratio of the HAADF-STEM intensity to the sample thickness or to the intensity of the silicon substrate is determined for each nickel silicide reference sample. Diffraction contrast is still detected on the HAADF-STEM images, even though the detector is set at the largest possible detection angle. The influence on the quantification results of intensity fluctuations caused by diffraction contrast and channelling is examined. The methodology is applied to FUSI gate devices and to horizontal TFET devices with different nickel silicides formed on source, gate and drain. It is shown that, if the elements which are present are known, this methodology allows a fast quantitative 2-dimensional compositional analysis.

Abstract: We investigate the influence of an external perpendicular magnetic field on the lowest-energy states of an electron bound to a donor which is located near a semiconductor-metal interface. The problem is treated within the effective mass approach and the lowest-energy states are obtained through (1) the “numerically exact” finite element method, and (2) a variational approach using a trial wave function where all image charges that emerge due to the presence of the metallic gate are taken into account. The trial wave functions are constructed such that they reduce to an exponential behavior for sufficiently small magnetic fields and become Gaussian for intermediate and large magnetic fields. The average electron-donor distance can be controlled by the external magnetic field. We find that the size of the 2p(z) state depends strongly on the magnetic field when the donor is close to the interface, showing a nonmonotonic behavior, in contrast with the ground and the other excited states. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevB.87.075313

Abstract: A theoretical model is presented for the description of the metal-insulator transition which accompanies the structural phase transition at T approximate to 50 K in polymerized KC60. The model involves orientational charge density waves (along the C-60 polymer chains) which were introduced previously for a description of the structural phase transition. A satisfactory qualitative and quantitative understanding is obtained when the three-dimensionality of the crystal and the presence of the K+ counterions is properly taken into account.