Au nanoclusters dispersed in single crystal TiO2 and SrTiO3 have been prepared by ion implantation at 300 and 975 K and subsequent annealing at 1275 K for 10 hours. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and high-angle-annular-dark-field (HAADF) imaging in an aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) have been used to characterize the microstructure of the dispersed gold nanoclusters. The results indicate that Au atoms substitute for cations in these systems. Cavities of up to several tens of nanometers are observed in TiO2 and SrTiO3. The nanometer-sized cavities and Au clusters are faceted along the same lattice plane of the matrix, indicating that the interfacial energy (defined by the Au cluster and the matrix) and the surface energy of the matrix (defined by cavity and the matrix ) follow a similar trend of change with respect to different lattice planes of the matrix.
Revised: March 26, 2007 |
Published: January 1, 2006
Citation
Wang C.M., V. Shutthanandan, Y. Zhang, S. Thevuthasan, L.E. Thomas, W.J. Weber, and G. Duscher. 2006.Atomic level imaging of Au nanocluster dispersed in TiO2 and SrTiO3.Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section B, Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 242, no. 1-2:380-382.PNNL-SA-46298.doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2005.08.144