B 12@B 12@B 60 and B 12@(B 12) 12 giant clusters with doping atoms observed by high-resolution electron microscopy

Abstract

B 12@B 12@B 60 and B 12@(B 12) 12 giant clusters consisting of B 12-based icosahedral clusters in B 105Al 2.6Cu 1.8 and B 56Y crystals were directly observed by high-resolution electron microscopy, image calculation and crystallographic image processing. Doping atom positions such as Al, Cu, and Y were also detected in the high-resolution images. The present work indicates that the cluster arrangements with light element of boron could be detected by using the crystallographic image processing technique.