In Situ Observation of Electron-Beam-Induced Formation of Nano-Structures in PbTe

Nano-scaled thermoelectric materials attract significant interest due to their improved physical properties as compared to bulk materials. Well-shaped nanoparticles such as nano-bars and nano-cubes were observed in the known thermoelectric material PbTe. Their extended two-dimensional nano-layer arr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Iryna Zelenina, Igor Veremchuk, Yuri Grin, Paul Simon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
Series:Nanomaterials
Subjects:
TEM
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/1/163
Description
Summary:Nano-scaled thermoelectric materials attract significant interest due to their improved physical properties as compared to bulk materials. Well-shaped nanoparticles such as nano-bars and nano-cubes were observed in the known thermoelectric material PbTe. Their extended two-dimensional nano-layer arrangements form directly in situ through electron-beam treatment in the transmission electron microscope. The experiments show the atomistic depletion mechanism of the initial crystal and the recrystallization of PbTe nanoparticles out of the microparticles due to the local atomic-scale transport via the gas phase beyond a threshold current density of the beam.
ISSN:2079-4991