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Single-defect phonons imaged by electron microscopy

Author

Listed:
  • Xingxu Yan

    (University of California, Irvine
    University of California, Irvine)

  • Chengyan Liu

    (University of California, Irvine
    Henan University)

  • Chaitanya A. Gadre

    (University of California, Irvine)

  • Lei Gu

    (University of California, Irvine)

  • Toshihiro Aoki

    (University of California, Irvine)

  • Tracy C. Lovejoy

    (Nion R&D)

  • Niklas Dellby

    (Nion R&D)

  • Ondrej L. Krivanek

    (Nion R&D)

  • Darrell G. Schlom

    (Cornell University
    Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science
    Leibniz-Institut für Kristallzüchtung)

  • Ruqian Wu

    (University of California, Irvine)

  • Xiaoqing Pan

    (University of California, Irvine
    University of California, Irvine
    University of California, Irvine)

Abstract

Crystal defects affect the thermal and heat-transport properties of materials by scattering phonons and modifying phonon spectra1–8. To appreciate how imperfections in solids influence thermal conductivity and diffusivity, it is thus essential to understand phonon–defect interactions. Sophisticated theories are available to explore such interactions, but experimental validation is limited because most phonon-detecting spectroscopic methods do not reach the high spatial resolution needed to resolve local vibrational spectra near individual defects. Here we demonstrate that space- and angle-resolved vibrational spectroscopy in a transmission electron microscope makes it possible to map the vibrational spectra of individual crystal defects. We detect a red shift of several millielectronvolts in the energy of acoustic vibration modes near a single stacking fault in cubic silicon carbide, together with substantial changes in their intensity, and find that these changes are confined to within a few nanometres of the stacking fault. These observations illustrate that the capabilities of a state-of-the-art transmission electron microscope open the door to the direct mapping of phonon propagation around defects, which is expected to provide useful guidance for engineering the thermal properties of materials.

Suggested Citation

  • Xingxu Yan & Chengyan Liu & Chaitanya A. Gadre & Lei Gu & Toshihiro Aoki & Tracy C. Lovejoy & Niklas Dellby & Ondrej L. Krivanek & Darrell G. Schlom & Ruqian Wu & Xiaoqing Pan, 2021. "Single-defect phonons imaged by electron microscopy," Nature, Nature, vol. 589(7840), pages 65-69, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:589:y:2021:i:7840:d:10.1038_s41586-020-03049-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-03049-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Lei Su & Shuhai Jia & Junqiang Ren & Xuefeng Lu & Sheng-Wu Guo & Pengfei Guo & Zhixin Cai & De Lu & Min Niu & Lei Zhuang & Kang Peng & Hongjie Wang, 2023. "Strong yet flexible ceramic aerogel," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Zhe Cheng & Ruiyang Li & Xingxu Yan & Glenn Jernigan & Jingjing Shi & Michael E. Liao & Nicholas J. Hines & Chaitanya A. Gadre & Juan Carlos Idrobo & Eungkyu Lee & Karl D. Hobart & Mark S. Goorsky & X, 2021. "Experimental observation of localized interfacial phonon modes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Ruochen Shi & Qize Li & Xiaofeng Xu & Bo Han & Ruixue Zhu & Fachen Liu & Ruishi Qi & Xiaowen Zhang & Jinlong Du & Ji Chen & Dapeng Yu & Xuetao Zhu & Jiandong Guo & Peng Gao, 2024. "Atomic-scale observation of localized phonons at FeSe/SrTiO3 interface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-7, December.
    4. Tom Lee & Ji Qi & Chaitanya A. Gadre & Huaixun Huyan & Shu-Ting Ko & Yunxing Zuo & Chaojie Du & Jie Li & Toshihiro Aoki & Ruqian Wu & Jian Luo & Shyue Ping Ong & Xiaoqing Pan, 2023. "Atomic-scale origin of the low grain-boundary resistance in perovskite solid electrolyte Li0.375Sr0.4375Ta0.75Zr0.25O3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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