https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530170093
Structure of unsupported bismuth nanoparticles
1
Nanostructure Engineering Science and Technology Group and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University
of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
2
Industrial Research Ltd., P.O. Box 31-310, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
3
Institut de Physique Expérimentale, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Corresponding author: a a.wurl@phys.canterbury.ac.nz
Received:
28
November
2000
Published online: 15 September 2001
We present new results of electron diffraction experiments on unsupported nanometer-sized bismuth clusters. The high intensity cluster beam, necessary for electron diffraction, is provided by an inert-gas aggregation source. The cluster beam contains particles with average cluster sizes between 4.5 and 10 nm. When using Helium as a carrier gas we are able to observe a transition from crystalline clusters to a new structure, which we identify with that of amorphous or liquid clusters.
PACS: 36.40.-c – Atomic and molecular clusters / 61.46.+w – Nanoscale materials: cluster, nanoparticles, nanotubes, and nanocrystals / 61.14.-x – Electron diffraction and scattering
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2001
