Imaging atomic-level random walk of a point defect in graphene
- Author(s)
- Jani Kotakoski, Clemens Mangler, Jannik C. Meyer
- Abstract
Deviations from the perfect atomic arrangements in crystals play an important role in affecting their properties. Similarly, diffusion of such deviations is behind many microstructural changes in solids. However, observation of point defect diffusion is hindered both by the difficulties related to direct imaging of non-periodic structures and by the timescales involved in the diffusion process. Here, instead of imaging thermal diffusion, we stimulate and follow the migration of a divacancy through graphene lattice using a scanning transmission electron microscope operated at 60 kV. The beam-activated process happens on a timescale that allows us to capture a significant part of the structural transformations and trajectory of the defect. The low voltage combined with ultra-high vacuum conditions ensure that the defect remains stable over long image sequences, which allows us for the first time to directly follow the diffusion of a point defect in a crystalline material.
- Organisation(s)
- Physics of Nanostructured Materials
- External organisation(s)
- University of Helsinki
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Volume
- 5
- No. of pages
- 5
- ISSN
- 2041-1723
- Publication date
- 05-2014
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 210006 Nanotechnology, 103008 Experimental physics, 103009 Solid state physics
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all), Chemistry(all), Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/imaging-atomiclevel-random-walk-of-a-point-defect-in-graphene(9d8aa25c-44ce-49b0-afb2-38cc5c0f799c).html