Study of Structural Evolution at Interfaces and Surfaces of PbSe Nanocrystals by In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy

Abstract

AbstractThe interfaces and surfaces of nanocrystals (NCs) have a great influence on their stability and chemical activities. As effective ways of tailoring surfaces and interfaces of NCs, high‐energy electron beam and temperature are utilized in an in situ transmission electron microscope to study the structural transformation processes at surfaces and interfaces of PbSe NC at atomic scale. The results show that with the combined effect of high‐energy electron beam and high temperature, the atoms at NC interfaces tend to reconstruct themselves to reduce the orientational difference and release the interfacial strain. The structural transformation at the NC surfaces is comparatively slower, which will lead to reduced local surface energies. The systematic study of the structural transformation processes at the NC interfaces and surfaces can better define the corresponding critical points of experimental conditions, which will facilitate accurate surface and interface engineering at specific regions of NCs at atomic resolution.