Related papers: Structure of Native Two-dimensional Oxides on III-…
In 2023, superconductivity in La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ was discovered under high pressures above approximately 14 GPa. In addition to its high transition temperature ($T_{\mathrm{c}} \simeq 80$ K), the structural resemblance to…
We present a comparative study of the growth of the technologically highly relevant gate dielectric and encapsulation material aluminum oxide in inorganic and also organic heterostructures. Atomic force microscopy studies indicate strong…
The oxidized Ag(111) surface has been studied by a combination of experimental and theoretical methods, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and density functional theory (DFT). A large variety of…
Grain boundaries (GBs) in complex oxides play critical roles in governing their functional properties, which are intrinsically linked to their three-dimensional (3D) atomic configurations and local chemical environments that can deviate…
We report on the non-trivial nanoscale kinetics of the deposition of novel complex oxide heterostructures composed of a unit-cell thick correlated metal LaNiO3 and dielectric LaAlO3. The multilayers demonstrate exceptionally good…
The realization of $p$-type doping in wide-band-gap oxide semiconductors remains a major challenge, particularly in $\beta-Ga_2O_3$ where nitrogen has long been considered a potential acceptor dopant but has consistently failed to produce…
Ammonia oxidation on platinum catalysts is pivotal for industrial nitric acid production and environmental abatement, yet the role of surface oxides in this process remains debated. Using operando surface X-ray diffraction (SXRD), crystal…
The present study investigates the effect of different reaction times on the crystallinity, surface morphology and size of iron oxide nanoparticles. In this synthetic system, aqueous iron (III) nitrate (Fe(NO$_3$)$_3\cdot9$H$_2$O)…
The surfaces of metal oxides often are reconstructed with a geometry and composition that is considerably different from a simple termination of the bulk. Such structures can also be viewed as ultrathin films, epitaxed on a substrate. Here,…
The adsorption of Ag$_3$ and Ag$_4$ clusters on the $\alpha$-Al$_2$O$_3$(0001) surface is explored with density functional theory. Within each adsorbed cluster, two different cluster-surface interactions are present. We find that silver…
Understanding the emergent electronic structure in twisted atomically thin layers has led to the exciting field of twistronics. However, practical applications of such systems are challenging since the specific angular correlations between…
Functional properties of nanomaterials strongly depend on their surface atomic structure, but they often become largely different from their bulk structure, exhibiting surface reconstructions and relaxations. However, most of the surface…
Two-dimensional alloys of carbon and nitrogen represent an urgent interest due to prospective applications in nanomechanical and optoelectronic devices. Stability of these chemical structures must be understood as a function of their…
The work of this thesis comprises extensive Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy (NC-AFM) characterization of clean metal-oxide (YSZ(100)/(111) and MgO(100)) and graphitic (HOPG) supports as templates for the novel, photochemically induced…
Structural analysis of self-catalyzed GaAs nanowires (NWs) grown on lithography-free oxide patterns is described with insight on their growth kinetics. Statistical analysis of templates and NWs in different phases of the growth reveals…
The applicability of standard methods for compositional analysis is limited for H-containing films. Neutron reflectometry is a powerful, non-destructive method that is especially suitable for these systems due to the large negative…
The epitaxial deposition of the first oxide buffer layer (seed layer) on biaxially textured Ni tape for coated conductors is a critical step that is dependent on the atomistic surface condition of the metal. We present a study of the…
In this study, oxygen vacancies and adatoms have been considered on the surface of both hexagonal and triangular ZnO nanowires. Their effect on the electronic structure and optical spectra of the nanowires have been investigated using the…
Perovskite oxynitrides have recently attracted attention for their ability to photocatalytically split water. Compared to oxides the arrangement of anions in the material represents a further structural degree of freedom. The bulk…
During the growth of anodic Al oxide layers water incorporates in the film and therefore influences the intrinsic properties of the oxide formed. In this study, we propose a new approach, based on the use of high-resolution neutron imaging,…