Atomistic Defect Makes a Phase Plate for the Generation and High-Angular Splitting of Electron Vortex Beams

ACS Nano
Xiaoyan ZhongHuolin L Xin

Abstract

Topological defects in solid-state materials by breaking the translational symmetry offer emerging properties that are not present in their parental phases. For example, edge dislocations-the 2π phase-winding topological defects-in antiferromagnetic NiO crystals can exhibit ferromagnetic behaviors. Herein, we study how these defects could give rise to topological orders when they interact with a high-energy electron beam. To probe this interaction, we formed a coherent electron nanobeam in a scanning transmission electron microscope and recorded the far-field transmitted patterns as the beam steps through the edge dislocation core in [001] NiO. Surprisingly, we found the amplitude patterns of the ⟨020⟩ Bragg disks evolve in a similar manner to the evolution of an annular solar eclipse. Using the ptychographic technique, we recovered the missing phase information in the diffraction plane and revealed the topological phase vortices in the diffracted beams. Through atomic topological defects, the wave function of electrons can be converted from plane wave to electron vortex. Technologically, this approach provides a feasible route for the fabrication of phase plates that can generate electron vortex beams with an angular separatio...Continue Reading

References

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Jul 19, 2008·Science·Pierre ThibaultFranz Pfeiffer
Jun 23, 2009·Ultramicroscopy·Andrew M Maiden, John M Rodenburg
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Jul 27, 2012·Microscopy and Microanalysis : the Official Journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada·Huolin L Xin, Haimei Zheng
Nov 28, 2012·Advanced Materials·Jo VerbeeckGustaaf Van Tendeloo
Mar 26, 2013·Nature Nanotechnology·Issei SugiyamaYuichi Ikuhara

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