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The Use of Plasmon Spectroscopy and Imaging in a TEM to Probe Physical Properties at the Nanoscale

Published

Author(s)

Vladimir P. Oleshko

Abstract

Valence EELS and energy-filtering TEM appear to be powerful tools to explore diverse nanoscale phenomena because they enable spatially-resolved real-time information on the band structure, bonding, dielectric and optical response and phase compositions at the nanoscale. Furthermore, electron beam-induced excitations in the 0–50 eV energy loss range dominated by plasmons are sensitive to valence electron states primarily responsible for intrinsic materials properties. We used universality and scaling in relationships between the volume plasmon energy and cohesive energy, elastic moduli and hardness to derive analytical expressions for quantitative determination of the properties. Based on this approach, cohesive and elastic properties of metastable nanoprecipitates in structural alloys and hardness of diesel engine soot nanoparticles have been evaluated. Spatially-resolved plasmon spectroscopic imaging techniques offer possibilities to determine and image in situ multiple physical properties of nanoscale materials and to monitor their changes during dynamic transformations, thus establishing new capabilities for material research.
Citation
Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Volume
12
Issue
11

Citation

Oleshko, V. (2012), The Use of Plasmon Spectroscopy and Imaging in a TEM to Probe Physical Properties at the Nanoscale, Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, [online], https://doi.org/10.1166/jnn.2012.6818 (Accessed March 28, 2024)
Created November 1, 2012, Updated May 25, 2020