3D imaging of nanoscale materials and their properties down to atomic resolution

Much like computed tomography in medicine gives 3D insight into the human body with X-rays, electron tomography in a transmission electron microscope allows seeing the interior of a materials science specimen in three dimensions. At FELMI-ZFE researchers around Georg Haberfehlner in the group of Gerald Kothleitner are developing and using these methods to understand nanomaterials and their distinct properties.
In an article published in Nature Communications, electron tomography is advanced to atomic resolution for the investigation of silver/gold core/shell nanoclusters grown in superfluid helium nanodroplets (cooperation with the Institute of Experimental Physics / TU Graz). These results allow an improved understanding of the growth and deposition process of the nanoclusters, which can then be tuned to design materials composition and properties.
Such properties are the focus of a second article published in Nano Letters. Here, surface plasmons are investigated – collective excitations of electrons in metallic nanoparticles, which confine light to subdiffraction volumes. In collaboration with the Theoretical Nanoscience group at the University of Graz, the exact 3D shape of a nanoparticle dimer – reconstructed by electron tomography – served as basis for simulating its plasmonic properties. In turn experimental measurements could verify these calculations and facilitated the direct 3D visualisation of surface plasmons in the TEM.