Dynamic Epitaxial Crystallization of SnSe on the Oxidized SnSe Surface and Its Atomistic Mechanisms.

Surface oxidation of SnSe sharply reduces its thermoelectric properties though the bulk single-crystalline materials of SnSe claim the record high zT values. Investigation on the oxidation behaviors of SnSe together with the subsequent phase transition and element migration is fundamentally important to maintaining the ultrahigh zT values, with a potential for further improvement. In this work, we disclose the dynamic epitaxial crystallization of SnSe on the amorphous surface of partially oxidized SnSe crystals and the corresponding atomistic mechanisms transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is revealed that the thermally annealed amorphous surface crystallized to SnO and SnSe in the outermost and secondary layers, respectively, forming distinctive SnSe/SnSe/SnO multilayer heterostructures with specific orientation relationships between the two selenides. By means of scanning TEM (STEM), the dynamic epitaxial crystallization process of SnSe was revealed when the oxidized SnSe surface was subjected to electron beam irradiation. Through the atomic-scale characterization and modeling analysis, we find that the exposed dangling Se diatoms on the SnSe surface serve as nucleation sites for lateral epitaxial crystallization of SnSe. The same valence and similar coordination configuration of Se atoms in these two phases are supposed to facilitate the sharing of Se atoms, with lattice distortions in the SnSe/SnSe interface. These findings are valuable for understanding the surface oxidation behavior of SnSe and revealing the interface structures of SnSe/SnSe heterojunctions and also offering new routes for SnSe-related multilayer or heterostructure system design.