Atomic species identification at the (101) anatase surface by simultaneous scanning tunnelling and atomic force microscopy

Anatase is a pivotal material in devices for energy-harvesting applications and catalysis. Methods for the accurate characterization of this reducible oxide at the atomic scale are critical in the exploration of outstanding properties for technological developments. Here we combine atomic force micr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2015-06, Vol.6 (1), p.7265-7265, Article 7265
Main Authors: Stetsovych, Oleksandr, Todorović, Milica, Shimizu, Tomoko K., Moreno, César, Ryan, James William, León, Carmen Pérez, Sagisaka, Keisuke, Palomares, Emilio, Matolín, Vladimír, Fujita, Daisuke, Perez, Ruben, Custance, Oscar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
119/118
639/301/119/544
639/301/299
639/301/930/328/1262
639/925/930/328/968
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Anatase is a pivotal material in devices for energy-harvesting applications and catalysis. Methods for the accurate characterization of this reducible oxide at the atomic scale are critical in the exploration of outstanding properties for technological developments. Here we combine atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), supported by first-principles calculations, for the simultaneous imaging and unambiguous identification of atomic species at the (101) anatase surface. We demonstrate that dynamic AFM-STM operation allows atomic resolution imaging within the material’s band gap. Based on key distinguishing features extracted from calculations and experiments, we identify candidates for the most common surface defects. Our results pave the way for the understanding of surface processes, like adsorption of metal dopants and photoactive molecules, that are fundamental for the catalytic and photovoltaic applications of anatase, and demonstrate the potential of dynamic AFM-STM for the characterization of wide band gap materials. Anatase is a pivotal material in devices for energy-harvesting applications and catalysis. Here, Stetsovych et al . demonstrate the potential of simultaneously combining atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy to identify the atomic species populating the (101) surface of anatase.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/ncomms8265