Surface‐Charge‐Induced Reversible Phase Transitions of Bi Nanoparticles

Abstract

Phase transitions of nanometer-sized supported Bi particles (such as that shown in the Figure) are studied as a function of the current density of the probing electron beam in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As the current intensity increases the particles melt. However, further increasing the current density of the electron beam results in an apparent solidification of the Bi particles. The phase transitions are observed to be fully reversible upon varying the current density of the electron beam.