Thermally Driven Interfacial Dynamics of Metal/Oxide

Solid–solid interfacial processes greatly affect the performance of electronic and composite materials, but probing the dynamics of buried interfaces is challenging and often involves lengthy or invasive sample preparation. We show that bilayer nanoribbons—made here of tin dioxide and copper—are convenient structures for observing as-made interfaces as they respond to changing temperature in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). At low temperatures (< 2008C), differential thermal expansion causes the bilayers to bend when heated or cooled, with the motion determined by the extent of Cu–SnO2 epitaxy. At higher temperatures, we are able to watch—in real time and with nanometer resolution—a progression of grain growth, interdiffusion, island formation, solid-state chemical reactions, and melting. This novel TEM geometry is readily applicable to other nanoribbon/coating combinations and is well suited to observing interfacial phenomena driven thermally or by the application of mechanical, electrical, or magnetic forces.