Probing physical properties of confined fluids within individual nanobubbles

Abstract

Spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) in a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) has been used to investigate as fluidic phase in nanoubbles embedded in a metallic Pd90Pt10 matrix. Using the 1s->2p excitation of the He atoms, maps of the He distribution, in particular of its density an pressure in bubbles of different diameter have been realized, thus providing an indication of the involved bubble formation mechanism. However, the short-range Pauli repulsion mechanism between electrons on neighboring atoms seems insufficient to interpret minute variations of the local local measurements performed at the interface between the metal and the He bubble. Simulations relying on the continuum dielectric model have show that these deviations could be interpreted as an interfzce polarization effect on the He atomic transition, which should be accounted for when measuring the densities within the smaller bubbles.