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journal article·2026-05Open access

Vacancy‐Induced Z‐Contrast Anomaly in Self‐Assembled (Ti,V)O 2 Heterostructure

Hyeji Sim, Seung‐Hyun Heo, Gyung‐Min Park, Gi‐Yeop Kim, Jaeseoung Park, Junwoo Son, Si‐Young Choi

Small· Volume 22· Issue 28
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Abstract

ABSTRACT Annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy (ADF‐STEM) imaging is often called as the Z‐contrast, where the element with a higher atomic number gives rise to the brighter contrast. ADF‐STEM imaging on the self‐assembled (Ti,V)O 2 heterostructure, exhibiting the alternating V‐rich and Ti‐rich layers, unexpectedly reveals the higher contrast in V‐rich layers in spite of the nearly identical atomic numbers of Ti ( Z = 22) and V ( Z = 23). Our analyses of local strain mapping and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) confirm that oxygen vacancies are formed dominantly in the V‐rich and thus the higher contrast in the V‐rich layers is attributable to the accumulation of oxygen vacancies facilitated by the inherent [001] channel pathways of the rutile structure. Our results highlight the critical role of crystallographic pathways in guiding oxygen vacancy diffusion within rutile‐based heterostructures.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications · Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials · Electronic and Structural Properties of Oxides

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) Pohang Republic of Korea

Next‐Generation Semiconductor Device Research Section Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) Daejeon Republic of Korea

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Seoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea

Research Institute of Advanced Materials Seoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea

Center of Van der Waals Quantum Solids Institute For Basic Science (IBS) Pohang Republic of Korea

Department of Semiconductor Engineering Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) Pohang Republic of Korea

Funding

Korea Basic Science Institute · Ministry of Education · National Research Foundation · National Research Foundation of Korea · Ministry of Science and ICT, South Korea

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