The reaction efficiency of reactants near plasmonic nanostructures can be enhanced significantly because of plasmonic effects. The error bars represent one standard deviation of five measurements from each pixel. Line 3 is the sample thickness change obtained by subtracting line 1 values from line 2 values. Line profiles are averaged in the direction perpendicular to the arrows with a width of five pixels. f, Line profiles acquired from the locations marked by rectangles 1 (d) and 2 (e), in which the direction is indicated by an arrow. d,e, t/λ maps (see Supplementary Information) showing the thickness distribution in the areas shown in b and c, respectively. The red circle and blue line in b and c represent the outlines of the Al nanoparticle and the carbon, respectively, at the beginning of the reaction. c, ADF image of the same region as in b, after the electron beam excitation for ~150 min in CO2 at a partial pressure of ~50 Pa, recorded after evacuating the CO2 from the sample area. The magenta dot shows the drift-corrected position of the electron beam with a beam current of ~1.5 nA (equivalent flux of ~0.12 nA nm⁻²), ~6 nm away from the nanoparticle surface (see Methods). b, ADF image showing an Al nanoparticle attached to graphite and lacey carbon film in vacuum. Carbon etching with the aloof electron beamĪ, Schematic showing the desired configuration of an Al nanoparticle and a graphite flake and the expected carbon etching volume around the nanoparticle.

Aloof example