Probing the atomic arrangement of honeycomb layered oxides via optimum bright-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (OBF-STEM)

Abstract

Here, we employ low-dose atomic resolution optimum bright-field (OBF) scanning TEM (STEM) to maximise the signal-to-noise ratio, enabling the probing of the arrangement of atoms in honeycomb-layered Na₂Zn₂TeO₆ (precursor). This successful application of OBF-STEM facilitates the characterisation of local atomic structures in electron-beam-sensitive honeycomb-layered materials, thereby pushing the frontier of such observation techniques towards investigating a postulate linking the hexagonal lattice of such precursors to precluded silver bilayered structures upon topotactic ion exchange reaction with molten Ag salt.