We use a quantitative convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED) based method to image the valence electron density distribution in Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$As$_2$. We show a remarkable increase in both the charge quadrupole of the Fe cations and the
charge dipole of the arsenic anions upon Co doping from $x=0$ ($T_c=0$ K) to $x=0.1$ ($T_c=22.5$ K). Our data suggest that an unexpected electronic correlation effect, namely strong coupling of Fe orbital fluctuation and anion electronic polarization, is present in iron-based superconductors.
We explore and describe different protocols for calibrating electron pair distribution function (ePDF) measurements for quantitative studies on nano-materials. We find the most accurate approach to determine the camera-length is to use a standard cal
ibration sample of Au nanoparticles from National Institute of Standards and Technology. Different protocols for data collection are also explored, as are possible operational errors, to find the best approaches for accurate data collection for quantitative ePDF studies.
We present a theoretical investigation of the surface plasmon (SP) at the interface between topologically non-trivial cylindrical core and topological-trivial surrounding material, from the axion electrodynamics and modified constitutive relations. W
e find that the topological effect always leads to a red-shift of SP energy, while the energy red-shift decreases monotonically as core diameter decreases. A qualitative picture based on classical perturbation theory is given to explain these phenomena, from which we also infer that in order to enhance the shift, the difference between the inverse of dielectric constants of two materials shall be increased. We also find that the surrounding magnetic environment suppresses the topological effect. All these features can be well described by a simple ansatz surface wave, which is in good agreement with full electromagnetic eigenmodes. In addition, bulk plasmon energy at omega_{P}=17.5pm0.2eV for semiconducting Bi2Se3 nanoparticle is observed from high-resolution Electron Energy Loss Spectrum Image measurements.
Field-induced switching of ferroelectric domains with a topological vortex configuration is studied by atomic imaging and electrical biasing in an electron microscope, revealing the role of topological defects on the topologically-guided change of domain-wall pairs in a hexagonal manganite.
We studied nanoprecipitates and defects in p-type filled skutterudite CeFe4Sb12 prepared by non-equilibrium melt-spinning plus spark plasma sintering method using transmission electron microscopy. Nanoprecipitates with mostly spherical shapes and dif
ferent sizes (from several nm to several tens of nm) have been observed. The most typically observed nanoprecipitates are shown to be Sb-rich. Superlattices with a periodicity of about 3.576 nm were induced by the ordering of excessive Sb atoms along the c direction. These nanoprecipitates usually share coherent interfaces with the surrounding matrix and induce anisotropic and strong strain fields in the surrounding matrix. Nanoprecipitates with compositions close to CeSb2 are much larger in size (~ 30 nm) and have orthorhombic structures. Various defects were typically observed on the interfaces between these nanoprecipitates and the matrix. The strain fields induced by these nanoprecipitates are less distinct, possibly because part of the strains has been released by the formation of defects.
