Patterning Oxide Nanopillars at the Atomic Scale by
Phase Transformation
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Abstract
Phase transformations in crystalline
materials are common in nature and often modify dramatically properties
of materials. The ability to precisely control them with a high spatial
precision represents a significant step forward in realizing new functionalities
in confined dimensions. However, such control is extremely challenging
particularly at the atomic scale due to the intricacies in governing
thermodynamic conditions with a high spatial accuracy. Here, we apply
focused electron beam of a scanning transmission electron microscope
to irradiate SrNbO<sub>3.4</sub> crystals and demonstrate a precise
control of a phase transformation from layered SrNbO<sub>3.4</sub> to perovskite SrNbO<sub>3</sub> at the atomic scale. By purposely
squeezing O atoms out of the vertex-sharing NbO<sub>6</sub> octahedral
slabs, their neighboring slabs zip together, resulting in a patterning
of SrNbO<sub>3</sub> nanopillars in SrNbO<sub>3.4</sub> matrix. Such
phase transformations can be spatially manipulated with an atomic
precision, opening up a novel avenue for materials design and processing
and also for advanced nanodevice fabrication