A recent study in SMALL shows that planar defects in oxide crystals can act as “hotspots” where materials begin to locally premelt and transform into an amorphous (non-crystalline) state. In situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy enables the direct capture of these transformations in real time at the atomic scale. The observations reveal that atomic movements, triggered by external stimuli, lead to the release of local strains and the enrichment of oxygen vacancies in defect regions. Together, these effects destabilize the crystal structure, initiating localized premelting and ultimately leading to amorphization. This work provides a direct atomic-scale view of how defects, local chemistry, and structural instability interact. The findings suggest that, rather than being avoided, defects can be deliberately engineered to control material transformations—opening a new possibility for designing advanced functional materials.

Further details can be found here:  DOI:  10.1002/smll.74384