Simplifying Electron Beam Channeling in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM).

Sub-angstrom scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) allows quantitative column-by-column analysis of crystalline specimens via annular dark-field images. The intensity of electrons scattered from a particular location in an atomic column depends on the intensity of the electron probe at that location. Electron beam channeling causes oscillations in the STEM probe intensity during specimen propagation, which leads to differences in the beam intensity incident at different depths.

Optoelectronic properties of graphene thin films deposited by a Langmuir-Blodgett assembly.

Large area thin films of few-layered unfunctionalized graphene platelets are developed with fine control over the thickness. The thin films are obtained by a Langmuir-Blodgett assembly at the interface of graphene solution in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and water, and their optoelectronic properties and conduction mechanism are investigated in relation to lateral flake size and thin film thickness. The electrical conductivity and carrier mobility are affected by the flake size (200 nm to 1 μm) and by the packing of the nanostructure platelet network.

Dispersible exfoliated zeolite nanosheets and their application as a selective membrane.

Thin zeolite films are attractive for a wide range of applications, including molecular sieve membranes, catalytic membrane reactors, permeation barriers, and low-dielectric-constant materials. Synthesis of thin zeolite films using high-aspect-ratio zeolite nanosheets is desirable because of the packing and processing advantages of the nanosheets over isotropic zeolite nanoparticles. Attempts to obtain a dispersed suspension of zeolite nanosheets via exfoliation of their lamellar precursors have been hampered because of their structure deterioration and morphological damage (fragmentation, curling, and aggregation).

Limits in detecting an individual dopant atom embedded in a crystal.

Annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscope (ADF-STEM) images allow detection of individual dopant atoms located on the surface of or inside a crystal. Contrast between intensities of an atomic column containing a dopant atom and a pure atomic column in ADF-STEM image depends strongly on specimen parameters and microscope conditions. Analysis of multislice-based simulations of ADF-STEM images of crystals doped with one substitutional dopant atom for a wide range of crystal thicknesses, types and locations of dopant atom inside the crystal, and crystals with different atoms reveal some interesting trends and non-intuitive behaviours in visibility of the dopant atom.

Aqueous only route toward graphene from graphite oxide.

We report a new, simple, hydrazine-free, high-yield method for producing single-layer graphene sheets. Graphene sheets were formed from graphite oxide by reduction with simple deionized water at 95 °C under atmospheric pressure. Over 65% of the sheets are single graphene layers; the average sheet diameter is 300 nm.