Graphene-supported high-resolution TEM and STEM imaging of silicon nanocrystals and their capping ligands

Authors

Matthew G. Panthani, University of Texas at Austin
Colin M. Hessel, University of Texas at Austin
Dariya Reid, University of Texas at Austin
Gilberto Casillas, University of Texas at San AntonioFollow
Miguel Jose-Yacaman, University of Texas at San Antonio
Brian A. Korgel, University of Texas at Austin

RIS ID

81427

Publication Details

Hessel, C. M., Reid, D., Casillas, G., Jose-Yacaman, M. & Korgel, B. A. (2012). Graphene-supported high-resolution TEM and STEM imaging of silicon nanocrystals and their capping ligands. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116 (42), 22463-22468.

Abstract

Using graphene as an ultrathin support, highresolution transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy (TEM and STEM) images of organic ligandstabilized silicon (Si) nanocrystals with unprecedented clarity were obtained. TEM images of Si nanocrystals are usually obscured on conventional amorphous carbon TEM supports because of low atomic number (Z) contrast. The atomically thin graphene supports enabled clear images of the crystalline Si cores and, for the first time, organic capping ligands. Various twin defects were observed, often accompanied by very significant lattice distortion and anisotropic strain.