D. M. Tang

Local temperature measurements on nanoscale materials using a movable nanothermocouple assembled in a transmission electron microscope

A nanoscale thermocouple consisting of merged Cu and Cu-Ni tips is developed for local temperature measurements on advanced nanomaterials by using a probing technique in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with a double probe scanning tunneling microcopy (STM) unit. The fabricated nanothermocouple works as the so-called T-type thermocouple and displays a quick response and high spatial and thermal resolutions. A generated thermoelectromotive force which reflects rapid temperature changes controlled by electron beam intensity alternations on a metal nanoelectrode proves the techniques usefulness for high-precision local temperature measurements. The developed method demonstrates the effectiveness while also measuring temperature changes in Joule heated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and in a modeled electrical conductive composite nanosystem.

Opto-mechano-electrical tripling in ZnO nanowires probed by photocurrent spectroscopy in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope

Photocurrent spectroscopy of individual free-standing ZnO nanowires inside a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) is reported. By using specially designed optical in situ TEM system capable of scanning tunneling microscopy probing paired with light illumination, opto-mechano-electrical tripling phenomenon in ZnO nanowires is demonstrated. Splitting of photocurrent spectra at around 3.3 eV under in situ TEM bending of ZnO nanowires directly corresponds to nanowire deformation and appearance of expanded and compressed nanowire sides. Theoretical simulation of a bent ZnO nanowire has an excellent agreement with the experimental data. The splitting effect could be explained by a change in the valence band structure of ZnO nanowires due to a lattice strain. The strain-induced splitting provides important clues for future flexible piezo-phototronics.