Fig. 3.

Sulfur-fusion-induced channel formation in quasi-metallic silicon. a HR-TEM image of QMS (inset: corresponding fast fourier transform image). b Enlarged TEM image showing column formation between characteristic Si (111) planes. c Intensity profiles of selected areas in (a). d XRD patterns of Si and a series of QMS between 27.6–29.2°. e Sulfur chain structure under applied pressure depending on different channel sizes, as calculated by DFT. f Li-ion diffusion coefficient versus the state of charge (SOC) during the first cycle. Scale bars, 2 nm (a); 1 nm (b)