Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T02:26:42.721Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Quantitative Electronic Structure Analysis of α-AL203 Using Spatially Resolved Valence Electron Energy-Loss Spectra

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Haral MÜllejans
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut fir Metallforschung, Seestralle 92, D-70174 Stuttgart, Germany
J. Bruley
Affiliation:
Lehigh University, Materials Science Department, Bethlehem, PA 18015-3195, USA
R. H. French
Affiliation:
DuPont Central Research and Development, Wilmington, DE 19880-0356, USA
P. A. Morris
Affiliation:
DuPont Central Research and Development, Wilmington, DE 19880-0356, USA
Get access

Abstract

Valence electron energy-loss (EEL) spectroscopy in a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has been used to study the Σ11 grain boundary in α-A12O3 in comparison with bulk α-A12O3. The interband transition strength was derived by Kramers-Kronig analysis and the electronic structure followed from quantitative critical point (CP) modelling. Thereby differences in the acquired spectra were related quantitatively to differences in the electronic structure at the grain boundary. The band gap at the boundary was slightly reduced and the ionicity increased. This work demonstrates for the first time that quantitative analysis of spatially resolved (SR) valence EEL spectra is possible. This represents a new avenue to electronic structure information from localized structures.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Egerton, R. F., Electron energy-loss spectroscopy in the electron microscope, (Plenum Press, New York, 1986).Google Scholar
2. Walls, M. G., PhD thesis, University of Cambridge, 1987.Google Scholar
3. Loughin, S., French, R. H., Ching, W. Y., Xu, Y. N. and Slack, G. A., Appl. Phys. Lett. 63, 1182 (1993).Google Scholar
4. Loughin, S., DeNoyer, L. and French, R. H., Phys. Rev. B to be submitted, (1993).Google Scholar
5. French, R. H., J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 73, 477 (1990).Google Scholar
6. French, R. H., Jones, D. J. and Loughin, S., J. Am. Ceram. Soc. submitted to Topical Issue on the Science of Alumina, (1994).Google Scholar
7. Loughin, S., PhD thesis, University of Pennsylvenia, 1992.Google Scholar
8. Morris, P. A., PhD thesis, MIT, 1986.Google Scholar
9. Flinn, B. D., Rühle, M. and Evans, A. G., Acta metall. 37, 3001 (1989).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Critpt, v. 7.7, Spectrum Square Associates, Ithaca NY 14850 USA.Google Scholar
11. KKgrams, v. 3.4, Spectrum Square Associates, Ithaca NY 14850 USA.Google Scholar
12. Grams/386, v. 2.03, Galactic Industries, Salem NH.Google Scholar
13. Bortz, M. L. and French, R. H., Appl. Spectr. 43, 1498 (1989).Google Scholar
14. Bruley, J., Microsc. Microanal. Microstruct. 4, 23 (1993).Google Scholar
15. Höche, T., Kenway, P. R., Kleebe, H.-J., Rühle, M. and Morris, P. A., J. Am. Ceram. Soc. submitted to Topical Issue on the Science of Alumina, (1994).Google Scholar
16. Kenway, P. R., J. Am. Ceram. Soc. submitted to Topical Issue on the Science of Alumina, (1994).Google Scholar