What is it about?
We detected and quantified the presence of interstitial atoms in the topological insulator Bi2Se3 using several routes: detection of the atoms using high resolution imaging and atom column resolution EDX, quantification of the amount in which they are present using 3D ED techniques (specifically PEDT) and further support for these findings using DFT calculations.
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Why is it important?
Up till now there were contradicting reports about possible interstitial atoms in Bi2Se3, but no clear experimental evidence. In this paper we have shown with different independent techniques that these interstitial atoms are effectively there and we have even quantified their amount. As fas as we know, this paper is also in general the first to quantify the presence of interstitial atoms from threedimensional electron diffraction data.
Perspectives
The exact structure and defects of Bi2Se3 will have an effect on its properties. Bi2Se3 is a topological insulator and there are still many open questions about the origins of its exact properties. This study shows that also interstitial atoms will need to be taken into account in the modelling of these systems when looking for the answers.
Prof. Dr. Joke Hadermann
Universiteit Antwerpen
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Interstitial defects in the van der Waals gap of Bi2Se3, Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Science Crystal Engineering and Materials, July 2019, International Union of Crystallography,
DOI: 10.1107/s2052520619008357.
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