Precisely monitoring and tailoring 2D nanostructures at the atomic scale

Abstract

Recent advances in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) have made it possible to monitor the structural evolution in two dimensional (2D) materials at the level of individual atoms. Electron beam irradiation inside a TEM can also provide a way to tailor 2D materials when the interaction between the electron beam and the specimen is precisely controlled. In this paper, we discuss several types of structural defects and their dynamics in a few representative 2D materials under electron beam irradiation. The use of electron beams for manipulation of defects and novel nanostructures in a controllable manner are also discussed. The results discussed in this paper indicate that TEM not only monitors structural evolution at the atomic scale but also provides opportunities to modify the structure with subnanometer precision.