Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy of individual Ions implanted into Carbon Nanostructures

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This research proposal is a pilot study to follow the 'destiny' of individual dopant atoms implanted into nanostructured materials using electron energy loss spectroscopy in combination with atomic resolution high angle dark field imaging, in a dedicated STEM (the Daresbury SuperSTEM), and carries on from previous work on carbon nanotubes and graphene (the latter in collaboration with Geim's group at Manchester) by the applicant. It is a proof-of-principle study to directly show fundamental behaviour of atoms after an implantation process, their incorporation and bonding, formation of damage and defect complexes. Ion implantation has long been a technology of immense importance in Si-technology and might soon be applied to controlled and selective doping of nanostructures. As far as fundamental research is concerned, graphene constitutes a model system; there is none better to show the result of energetic ion impact, and the capability of using ion implantation for doping. It also enables one to reveal atomic dopant sites and -complexes, and to compare them with established theoretical models. Doping of graphene, furthermore, bears great promise for electronic and sensor applications. Other increasingly important matertials systems that will require controlled doping, are carbon nanotubes (for nano-electronics) and nano-diamond (for electronics and bio-medical applications), and our study will include these as well. These three materials systems are considered next generation functional materials.Hence, the aim of this pilot study is two-fold: firstly we want to prove beyond doubt that single ions can be detected spectroscopically along with their edge fine structure, and secondly we want to study the coordination (including damage, i.e., dopant-defect complexes) in the atomic lattice, of a single ion, post implantation. . Highly localised investigations are an innovative approach to understand the fundamental properties of ion-implants; the experiments suggested here can only be conducted in an instrument like the SuperSTEM (i.e., with an aberration corrected scanned probe).