The researchers are the first to observe metallic lines in a perovskite crystal. Perovskites abound in the Earth s center, and barium stannate (BaSnO3) is one such crystal. However, it has not been studied extensively for metallic properties because of the prevalence of more conductive materials on the planet like metals or semiconductors. The finding was made using advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a technique that can form images with magnifications of up to 10 million. The research is published in Science Advances, a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The conductive nature and preferential direction of these metallic line defects mean we can make a material that is transparent like glass and at the same time very nicely directionally conductive like a metal, said Mkhoyan, a TEM expert and the Ray D. and Mary T. Johnson/Mayon Plastics Chair in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Ma
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Home > Press > Conductive nature in crystal structures revealed at magnification of 10 million times: University of Minnesota study opens up possibilities for new transparent materials that conduct electricity
University of Minnesota Professor K. Andre Mkhoyan and his team used analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), which combines imaging with spectroscopy, to observe metallic properties in the perovskite crystal barium stannate (BaSnO3). The atomic-resolution STEM image, with a BaSnO3 crystal structure (on the left), shows an irregular arrangement of atoms identified as the metallic line defect core.
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Mkhoyan Group, University of Minnesota
Abstract:
In groundbreaking materials research, a team led by University of Minnesota Professor K. Andre Mkhoyan has made a discovery that blends the best of two sought-after qualities for touchscreens and smart windows transparency and conductivity.
January 15, 2021 Using advanced analytical scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) at a magnification of 10 million times, University of Minnesota researchers were able to isolate and image the structure and composition of the metallic line defect in a perovskite crystal BaSnO3. This image shows the atomic arrangement of both the BaSnO3 crystal (on the left) and the metallic line defect.
In groundbreaking materials research, a team led by University of Minnesota Professor K. Andre Mkhoyan has made a discovery that blends the best of two sought-after qualities for touchscreens and smart windows transparency and conductivity.
The researchers are the first to observe metallic lines in a perovskite crystal. Perovskites abound in the Earth’s center, and barium stannate (BaSnO3) is one such crystal. However, it has not been studied extensively for metallic properties because of the prevalence of more conductive materials on the planet like metals or semiconductors
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IMAGE: While studying a thin-film material called strontium stannate (SrSnO3), University of Minnesota researchers noticed the surprising formation of checkerboard patterns at the nano scale similar to structures fabricated in costly,. view more
Credit: Credit: Jalan Group, University of Minnesota
A team led by University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers has discovered a groundbreaking one-step process for creating materials with unique properties, called metamaterials. Their results show the realistic possibility of designing similar self-assembled structures with the potential of creating built-to-order nanostructures for wide application in electronics and optical devices.
The research was published and featured on the cover of