title: Tuning the functionalities of a mesocrystal via structural coupling.
abstract: In the past decades, mesocrystal, a kind of nanocrystals with specific crystallographic orientation, has drawn a lot of attention due to its intriguing functionalities. While the research community keeps searching for new mesocrystal systems, it is equally crucial to develop new approaches to tune the properties of mesocrystals. In this work, a self-organized two-dimensional mesocrystal composed of highly oriented CoFe2O4 (CFO) nano-crystals with assistance of different perovskite matrices is studied as a model system. We have demonstrated that the strain state and corresponding magnetic properties of the CFO mesocrystal can be modulated by changing the surrounding perovskite matrix through their intimate structural coupling. Interestingly, this controllability is more strongly correlated to the competition of bonding strength between the matrices and the CFO mesocrystals rather than the lattice mismatch. When embedded in a matrix with a higher melting point or stiffness, the CFO mesocrystal experiences higher out-of-plane compressive strain and shows a stronger magnetic anisotropy as well as cation site-exchange. Our study suggests a new pathway to tailor the functionalities of mesocrystals.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan [2] Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Heng-Jui
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Materials and Application Technology of Ministry of Education, Xiangtan University, Hunan 411105, China.
authors.forename: Yun-Ya
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonics and Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Ya
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Sheng-Chieh
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Jiun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hong-Ji
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Huang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Photonics and Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-2600, USA.
authors.forename: Jiang-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Te
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan [2] Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 105, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Hao
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chu