title: The use of plasmon spectroscopy and imaging in a transmission electron microscope to probe physical properties at the nanoscale.
abstract: Valence EELS and energy-filtering TEM appear to be powerful tools to explore diverse nanoscale phenomena. The techniques enable real-time information on the band structure, bonding, dielectric and optical response and phase compositions of nanostructured materials. Furthermore, electron beam-induced excitations in the 0 to 50 eV energy loss range dominated by plasmons are sensitive to valence electron states primarily responsible for intrinsic materials properties. We used universality and scaling in relationships between the volume plasmon energy and cohesive energy, elastic moduli and hardness to derive analytical expressions for quantitative determination of the properties. Based on this approach, cohesive and elastic properties of metastable nanoprecipitates in structural alloys and hardness of diesel engine soot nanoparticles have been evaluated. Spatially-resolved plasmon spectroscopic imaging techniques offer possibilities to determine and image in situ multiple physical properties of nanoscale materials and to monitor their changes during dynamic transformations, thus establishing new capabilities for material research.
authors: Metallurgy Division, Material Measurement Laboratory National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
authors: Vladimir P
authors: VP
authors: Oleshko
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods*