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Quantitative Electronic Structure Analysis of α-AL203 Using Spatially Resolved Valence Electron Energy-Loss Spectra

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

Haral MÜllejans
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut fir Metallforschung, Seestralle 92, D-70174 Stuttgart, Germany
J. Bruley
Affiliation:
Lehigh University, Materials Science Department, Bethlehem, PA 18015-3195, USA
R. H. French
Affiliation:
DuPont Central Research and Development, Wilmington, DE 19880-0356, USA
P. A. Morris
Affiliation:
DuPont Central Research and Development, Wilmington, DE 19880-0356, USA
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Abstract

Valence electron energy-loss (EEL) spectroscopy in a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has been used to study the Σ11 grain boundary in α-A12O3 in comparison with bulk α-A12O3. The interband transition strength was derived by Kramers-Kronig analysis and the electronic structure followed from quantitative critical point (CP) modelling. Thereby differences in the acquired spectra were related quantitatively to differences in the electronic structure at the grain boundary. The band gap at the boundary was slightly reduced and the ionicity increased. This work demonstrates for the first time that quantitative analysis of spatially resolved (SR) valence EEL spectra is possible. This represents a new avenue to electronic structure information from localized structures.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

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References

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