White lines in the L2,3 electron-energy-loss and x-ray absorption spectra of 3d transition metals

Atomic layer deposition of nickel-cobalt spinel thin films

We report the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of high-quality crystalline thin films of the spinel-oxide system (Co_1-xNi_x)₃O₄. These spinel oxides are ferrimagnetic p-type semiconductors, and promising material candidates for several applications ranging from photovoltaics and spintronics to thermoelectrics. The spinel phase is obtained for Ni contents exceeding the x = 0.33 limit for bulk samples. It is observed that the electrical resistivity decreases continuously with x while the magnetic moment increases up to x = 0.5. This is in contrast to bulk samples where a decrease of resistivity is not observed for x > 0.33 due to the formation of a rock-salt phase. From UV-VIS-NIR absorption measurements, a change from distinct absorption edges for the parent oxide Co₃O₄ to a continuous absorption band ranging deep into the near infrared for 0 < x ≤ 0.5 was observed. The conformal deposition of dense films on high-aspect-ratio patterns is demonstrated.

Simultaneous Ni Doping at Atom Scale in Ceria and Assembling into Well-Defined Lotuslike Structure for Enhanced Catalytic Performance

Oxide materials with redox capability have attracted worldwide attentions in many applications. Introducing defects into crystal lattice is an effective method to modify and optimize redox capability of oxides as well as their catalytic performance. However, the relationship between intrinsic characteristics of defects and properties of oxides has been rarely reported. Herein, we report a facile strategy to introduce defects by doping a small amount of Ni atoms (∼1.8 at. %) into ceria lattice at atomic level through the effect of microstructure of crystal on the redox property of ceria. Amazingly, a small amount of single Ni atom-doped ceria has formed a homogeneous solid solution with uniform lotuslike morphology. It performs an outstanding catalytic performance of a reduced T₅₀ of CO oxidation at 230 °C, which is 135 °C lower than that of pure CeO₂ (365 °C). This is largely attributed to defects such as lattice distortion, crystal defects and elastic strain induced by Ni dopants. The DFT calculation has revealed that the electron density distribution of oxygen ions near Ni dopant, the reduced formation energy of oxygen vacancy originated from local chemical effect caused by local distortion after Ni doping. These differences have a great effect on increasing the concentration of oxygen vacancies and enhancing the migration of lattice oxygen from bulk to a surface which is closely related to optimized redox properties. As a result, oxygen storage capacity and the associated catalytic reactivity has been largely increased. We have clearly demonstrated the change of crystal lattice and the charge distribution effectively modify its chemical and physical properties at the atomic scale.

A non-empirical calculation of 2p core-electron excitation in compounds with 3d transition metal ions using ligand-field and density functional theory (LFDFT)

It is shown that LFDFT can be used to simulate the optical spectrum of 2p core-electron excitation in compounds with 3d transition metal ions.

Structure and bonding at the atomic scale by scanning transmission electron microscopy

A new generation of electron microscopes is able to explore the microscopic properties of materials and devices as diverse as transistors, turbine blades and interfacial superconductors. All of these systems are made up of dissimilar materials that, where they join at the atomic scale, display very different behaviour from what might be expected of the bulk materials. Advances in electron optics have enabled the imaging and spectroscopy of these buried interface states and other nanostructures with atomic resolution. Here I review the capabilities, prospects and ultimate limits for the measurement of physical and electronic properties of nanoscale structures with these new microscopes.

All-electron CI calculations of 3d transition-metal L(2,3) XANES using zeroth-order regular approximation for relativistic effects

X-ray-absorption near-edge structures (XANES) at 3d transition-metal (TM) L(2,3) edges are computed using the all-electron configuration interaction (CI) method. Slater determinants for the CI calculations are composed of molecular orbitals obtained by density functional theory (DFT) calculations of model clusters. Relativistic effects are taken into account by the zeroth-order regular approximation (ZORA) using two-component wavefunctions. The theoretical spectra are found to be strongly dependent on the quality of the one-electron basis functions. On the other hand, a different choice of the exchange-correlation functionals for the DFT calculations does not exhibit visible changes in the spectral shape. Fine details of multiplet structures in the experimental TM L(2,3) XANES of MnO, FeO and CoO are well reproduced by the present calculations when the one-electron basis functions are properly selected. This is consistent with our previous report showing good agreement between theoretical and experimental TM L(2,3) XANES when four-component relativistic wavefunctions were used.

Spatially resolved energy electron loss spectroscopy studies of iron oxide nanoparticles

The oxidation state of iron oxide nanoparticles co-generated with soot during a combustion process was studied using electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). Spatially resolved EELS spectra in the scanning transmission electron microscopy mode were collected to detect changes in the oxidation state between the cores and surfaces of the particles. Quantification of the intensity ratio of the white lines of the iron L-ionization edge was used to measure the iron oxidation state. Quantitative results obtained from Pearson's method, which can be directly compared with the literature data, indicated that the L3 /L2-intensity ratio for these particles changes from 5.5 +/- 0.3 in the particles' cores to 4.4 +/- 0.3 at their surfaces. This change can be directly related to the reduction of the iron oxidation state at the surface of the particles. Experimental results indicate that the cores of the particles are composed of gamma-Fe2O3, which seems to be reduced to FeO at their surfaces. These results were also supported by the fine structure of the oxygen K-edge and by the significant chemical shift of the iron L-edge.

Structural characterization of nano-sized calcium deficient apatite powders

Nano-sized calcium-deficient apatitic (CDHA) crystals with Ca/P ratios from 1.5 to 1.67 were synthesized using wet chemical method and of needle-like shape with 5-10 nm in diameter and 40-50 nm in length was observed. The structural environment of the Ca atoms in all the CDHA nano-crystals has been investigated using EXAFS, XANES and EELS. The results reveal that a maximum Fourier transform amplitude occurs at the apatite with a Ca/P ratio of 1.67 and the structural disorder increase following the sequence of 1.67>1.5>1.6>1.55. A similar phenomenon is also observed in both K-edge XANES and L(2,3)-edge ELNES in the Ca atom. The structural analysis further demonstrates that different chemical and biological properties among these CDHA nano-crystals with Ca/P ratio from 1.5 to 1.67 are primarily due to the effect of stoichiometry and non-stoichiometry as compared to the structural order-disorder.

Electron energy-loss near-edge structures of 3d transition metal oxides recorded at high-energy resolution

Near-edge fine structures of the metal L(2,3) and O K-edges in transition metal-oxides have been studied with a transmission electron microscope equipped with a monochromator and a high-resolution imaging filter. This system enables the recording of EELS spectra with an energy resolution of 0.1eV thus providing new near-edge fine structure details which could not be observed previously by EELS in conventional TEM instruments. EELS-spectra from well-defined oxides like titanium oxide (TiO(2)), vanadium oxide (V(2)O(5)), chromium oxide (Cr(2)O(3)), iron oxide (Fe(2)O(3)), cobalt oxide (CoO) and nickel oxide (NiO) have been measured with the new system. These spectra are compared with EELS data obtained from a conventional microscope and the main spectral features are interpreted. Additionally, the use of monochromised TEMs is discussed in view of the natural line widths of K and L(2,3) edges.

Method of linearizing the 3d L3/L2 white line ratio as a function of magnetic moment

We have developed a parameterization method which linearizes the relationship between local magnetic moment and the 3d L3/L2 "white line" ratio as observed in electron energy loss spectroscopy or X-ray near edge absorption spectroscopy. We first establish that the parameterization linearizes an existing theoretical result for ratio versus moment. We then test our method on data sets for which a white line ratio has been previously published by other authors, who have studied a series of compounds using a consistent deconvolution procedure. Finally, we apply our linearization method to the observed ratios of a series of 3d transition metals, and to the Cr L edges for a Au(x)Cr(1 - x) alloy. In addition we obtain, for the first time, experimental results on the Au L3 and L2 edge white lines of this alloy system. These results are consistent with a model in which the large local moment in this system is not limited to Cr dopants, but extends into the gold matrix.