Abstract
Probing the charge density distributions in materials at atomic scale remains an extremely demanding task, particularly in real space. However, recent advances in differential phase contrast-scanning transmission electron microscopy (DPC-STEM) bring this possibility closer by directly visualizing the atomic electric field. DPC-STEM at atomic resolutions measures how a sub-angstrom electron probe passing through a material is affected by the atomic electric field, the field between the nucleus and the surrounding electrons. Here, we perform a fully quantitative analysis which allows us to probe the charge density distributions inside atoms, including both the positive nuclear and the screening electronic charges, with subatomic resolution and in real space. By combining state-of-the-art DPC-STEM experiments with advanced electron scattering simulations we are able to map the spatial distribution of the electron cloud within individual atomic columns. This work constitutes a crucial step toward the direct atomic scale determination of the local charge redistributions and modulations taking place in materials systems.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 8875-8881 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | ACS Nano |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 25 Sep 2018 |
Keywords
- aberration-corrected STEM
- differential phase contrast
- electric field imaging
- charge density
- GaN
Cite this
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Probing the Internal Atomic Charge Density Distributions in Real Space. / Sánchez-Santolino, Gabriel; Lugg, Nathan R; Seki, Takehito; Ishikawa, Ryo; Findlay, Scott D; Kohno, Yuji; Kanitani, Yuya; Tanaka, Shinji; Tomiya, Shigetaka; Ikuhara, Yuichi; Shibata, Naoya.
In: ACS Nano, Vol. 12, No. 9, 25.09.2018, p. 8875-8881.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Probing the Internal Atomic Charge Density Distributions in Real Space
AU - Sánchez-Santolino, Gabriel
AU - Lugg, Nathan R
AU - Seki, Takehito
AU - Ishikawa, Ryo
AU - Findlay, Scott D
AU - Kohno, Yuji
AU - Kanitani, Yuya
AU - Tanaka, Shinji
AU - Tomiya, Shigetaka
AU - Ikuhara, Yuichi
AU - Shibata, Naoya
PY - 2018/9/25
Y1 - 2018/9/25
N2 - Probing the charge density distributions in materials at atomic scale remains an extremely demanding task, particularly in real space. However, recent advances in differential phase contrast-scanning transmission electron microscopy (DPC-STEM) bring this possibility closer by directly visualizing the atomic electric field. DPC-STEM at atomic resolutions measures how a sub-angstrom electron probe passing through a material is affected by the atomic electric field, the field between the nucleus and the surrounding electrons. Here, we perform a fully quantitative analysis which allows us to probe the charge density distributions inside atoms, including both the positive nuclear and the screening electronic charges, with subatomic resolution and in real space. By combining state-of-the-art DPC-STEM experiments with advanced electron scattering simulations we are able to map the spatial distribution of the electron cloud within individual atomic columns. This work constitutes a crucial step toward the direct atomic scale determination of the local charge redistributions and modulations taking place in materials systems.
AB - Probing the charge density distributions in materials at atomic scale remains an extremely demanding task, particularly in real space. However, recent advances in differential phase contrast-scanning transmission electron microscopy (DPC-STEM) bring this possibility closer by directly visualizing the atomic electric field. DPC-STEM at atomic resolutions measures how a sub-angstrom electron probe passing through a material is affected by the atomic electric field, the field between the nucleus and the surrounding electrons. Here, we perform a fully quantitative analysis which allows us to probe the charge density distributions inside atoms, including both the positive nuclear and the screening electronic charges, with subatomic resolution and in real space. By combining state-of-the-art DPC-STEM experiments with advanced electron scattering simulations we are able to map the spatial distribution of the electron cloud within individual atomic columns. This work constitutes a crucial step toward the direct atomic scale determination of the local charge redistributions and modulations taking place in materials systems.
KW - aberration-corrected STEM
KW - differential phase contrast
KW - electric field imaging
KW - charge density
KW - GaN
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053922887&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acsnano.8b03712
DO - 10.1021/acsnano.8b03712
M3 - Article
VL - 12
SP - 8875
EP - 8881
JO - ACS Nano
JF - ACS Nano
SN - 1936-0851
IS - 9
ER -