Ultrafast laser-induced anisotropic structural dynamics of five-fold twinned silver nanowires
Phys. Rev. Materials 10, 046002 – Published 10 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/c324-pb9t
Abstract
The ultrafast transmission electron microscope (UTEM) provides a powerful platform for characterizing ultrafast laser-induced structural dynamics in functional materials. In this article, the ultrafast structural dynamics of silver nanowires (Ag NWs) were investigated using electron diffraction in UTEM. Both the diffraction intensity and Bragg peak shift from picosecond to microsecond scales were analyzed to track the full-cycle structural dynamics after laser excitation. The evolution of the diffraction intensity and the shift of Bragg peaks in various directions on the picosecond to nanosecond timescales have unveiled anisotropic atomic disorder and lattice expansion along the radial and axial directions. These anisotropic lattice responses are attributed to the unique one-dimensional structure of Ag NWs, which facilitates the subsequent energy transfer from the radial to the axial direction on the nanosecond timescale. The anisotropic lattice responses were corroborated by comparing them with the isotropic results obtained from a polycrystalline silver film. Additionally, we observed breathing and extension modes in the radial and axial directions, respectively. A two-step electron-phonon coupling process due to the trapping of hot electrons by surface oxidation states and recovery dynamics was also reported. Our findings elucidate the ultrafast lattice dynamics of Ag NWs across the picosecond to microsecond scale, thus laying the groundwork for their practical applications.
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New Insights into Functional Materials through Advanced Electron Microscopy
The Editors of Physical Review Materials are pleased to present the Collection on New Insights into Functional Materials through Advanced Electron Microscopy, highlighting cutting-edge microscopy techniques and the extraordinary advances in materials science and engineering that they enable. The Collection is being guest-edited by Joanne Etheridge from Monash University (Australia) and Yimei Zhu from Brookhaven National Laboratory (USA). Every article published in this collection underwent a rigorous peer review process, adhering to the same high standards applied to all papers. The Physical Review Materials editorial team managed the peer review and made all editorial decisions.
