Zn nanodot patterning in borosilicate glasses by electron irradiation

• Published in: Journal of materials research Vol. 30; no. 12; pp. 1914 - 1924
• Main Authors: Mohammed Sabri, Mohammed, Hand, Russell J., Möbus, Günter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, USA Cambridge University Press 28-06-2015; Springer International Publishing; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Ablation; Analysis; Applied and Technical Physics; Biomaterials; Borosilicate glasses; Carbon; Electron beams; Electron irradiation; Electrons; Glass; Inorganic Chemistry; Ion implantation; Irradiation; Materials Engineering; Materials research; Materials Science; Metals; Nanocrystals; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Nanotechnology; Patterning; Quantum dots; Radiation; Spectrum analysis; Studies; Transmission electron microscopy; Zinc; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 0884-2914; 2044-5326
• DOI: 10.1557/jmr.2015.122

Metallic zinc nanoparticles are generated in two compositional ranges of borosilicate glasses upon 200 and 300 keV electron beam irradiation in a transmission electron microscope. Irradiation effects are studied either with a stationary electron beam as a time series or with spatially varying beams for line-scan patterning. The size of the zinc nanodots formed is inversely related to the distance from the center of the electron beam, and growth from 5 to 50 nm over time via ripening can be observed. Line-scan patterning via both thermal gun and field emission gun electron irradiation has been successfully achieved. Our findings also show the occurrence of self-organized particle ordering, such as formation of chains. Metal nanoparticles have a tendency to migrate toward the glass fragment center, unless high intensity radiation ablates the glass matrix, when Zn particles remain decorating the surface. High-resolution lattice imaging, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy are used to confirm particle identity.