Sub-1-Angstrom-Resolution Imaging Reveals Phase Contrast Transition in Ice Ih Caused by Basal Stacking Faults
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arXiv
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| Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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| Formato: | Preprint |
| Publicado: |
2026
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| _version_ | 1866914343351746560 |
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| author | Du, Jingshan S. Banik, Suvo Yao, Lehan Zhang, Shuai Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S. De Yoreo, James J. |
| author_facet | Du, Jingshan S. Banik, Suvo Yao, Lehan Zhang, Shuai Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S. De Yoreo, James J. |
| contents | Phase-contrast transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of hexagonal ice (Ih) along [0001] sometimes shows a honeycomb-like pattern, often interpreted as individual oxygen columns in single crystals. Here, we show that this pattern commonly arises from intrinsic basal stacking faults instead. A translational boundary separating domains of comparable thickness, with an in-plane offset of $(\frac{2}{3} a_{1} + \frac{1}{3} a_{2})$, produces this honeycomb-like contrast. Stacking domains translated in nonequivalent directions yields patterns resembling cubic ice (Ic) along [111] but with a 3-fold symmetry. We imaged this structure at a record-breaking line resolution of 89 picometers, finer than the O-H covalent bond length. These findings highlight the defect tolerance of ice's molecular packing and clarify the structural relationships among hexagonal, stacking-disordered, and cubic ice phases. This resolution milestone opens new avenues for characterizing subtle structural perturbations of water in the solid state. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_14920 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Sub-1-Angstrom-Resolution Imaging Reveals Phase Contrast Transition in Ice Ih Caused by Basal Stacking Faults Du, Jingshan S. Banik, Suvo Yao, Lehan Zhang, Shuai Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S. De Yoreo, James J. Materials Science Chemical Physics Phase-contrast transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of hexagonal ice (Ih) along [0001] sometimes shows a honeycomb-like pattern, often interpreted as individual oxygen columns in single crystals. Here, we show that this pattern commonly arises from intrinsic basal stacking faults instead. A translational boundary separating domains of comparable thickness, with an in-plane offset of $(\frac{2}{3} a_{1} + \frac{1}{3} a_{2})$, produces this honeycomb-like contrast. Stacking domains translated in nonequivalent directions yields patterns resembling cubic ice (Ic) along [111] but with a 3-fold symmetry. We imaged this structure at a record-breaking line resolution of 89 picometers, finer than the O-H covalent bond length. These findings highlight the defect tolerance of ice's molecular packing and clarify the structural relationships among hexagonal, stacking-disordered, and cubic ice phases. This resolution milestone opens new avenues for characterizing subtle structural perturbations of water in the solid state. |
| title | Sub-1-Angstrom-Resolution Imaging Reveals Phase Contrast Transition in Ice Ih Caused by Basal Stacking Faults |
| topic | Materials Science Chemical Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.14920 |