Three-dimensional atomic images around light elements for investigating materials functions

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18738
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 13:Condensed matter physics and related fields
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Hosokawa Shinya 熊本大学, 大学院先端科学研究部(理), 教授 (30183601)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 3D活性サイト科学 / 軽元素 / 原子イメージング / 元素選択 / 機能性材料

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The most important task in the field of atomic structures is currently to experimentally obtain structures around light elements. In the present project, we tried to develop holography technique that enables one to draw three-dimensional atomic images without any special model, to investigate local structures around light elements with the same accuracy as those around heavy elements. We have succeeded in detecting fluorescent photons of Al etc. with enough counts for holographic experiments by utilizing a curved mirror. We will try to visually understand the relationship between atomic structures and properties in functional materials containing light elements.

Free Research Field

放射光構造物性

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

散乱やXAFSでは容易には得る事ができない、軽元素のまわりの局所原子配列を、重元素のまわりとは遜色のない精度で検出することが可能になった。この開発研究により、ワイド・ギャップ半導体など、軽元素が重要な機能性材料を対象として、軽元素のまわりの格子ひずみやクラスター形成など、材料の3次元的特徴を描き出し、物性との関連を明らかにする。その結果は、さらに高度な機能を発現する材料の開発など、産業面に大きなインパクトを与える。