Diffuse Neutron Scattering from Surfaces and Interfaces

1994 ◽  
Vol 376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunil K. Sinha

ABSTRACTThe use of neutron scattering as a tool for exploring surfaces and interfaces has become more prevalent over the last several years, mainly due to the increasing popularity of reflectivity techniques, which study specular reflection from single surfaces or multilayers. Due to intensity limitations, the use of off-specular or grazing-incidence neutron scattering techniques has been much less prevalent. In this paper we shall discuss the origins of magnetic off-specular scattering (e.g., as observed in magnetic multilayers) and the origins of anomalies seen in the X-ray or neutron diffuse scattering from multilayers near Bragg reflections in terms of the Dynamical Theory of Scattering.

1991 ◽  
Vol 35 (A) ◽  
pp. 127-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Lengeler

AbstractAt grazing incidence all X-ray techniques become surface sensitive. Far below the angle of total reflection the X-rays penetrate only 20 to 70 Å into condensed matter. X-ray reflectivity measurements give the density and the thickness of layers on substrates and the roughness of external and internal interfaces. The diffuse scattering in the vicinity of the specular reflection gives, besides the interface roughness, also the height-height correlation of the surface. From the angular dependence of the fluorescence intensity, emitted as a consequence of X-ray absorption, the depth profile of the absorbing species can be deduced. Artificial periodic multilayers give rise to Bragg reflexes and to standing X-ray wave fields, the angular dependence of which give the distribution of atomic species in the periodic stack. A number of examples illustrate the possibilities of the technique.


1996 ◽  
Vol 52 (a1) ◽  
pp. C471-C471
Author(s):  
B. K. Tanner ◽  
I. Pape ◽  
T. P. A. Hase ◽  
M. Wormington

1996 ◽  
Vol 440 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Chow ◽  
R. Paniago ◽  
R. Forrest ◽  
S. C. Moss ◽  
S. S. P. Parkin ◽  
...  

AbstractThe growth by sputtering of a series of thin films of Fe/Au on MgO(001) substrates was analyzed using Bragg and diffuse X-ray scattering. The Fe (bcc) layer grows rotated by 45° with respect to the MgO – Au(fcc) (001) epitaxial orientation, resulting in an almost perfect match between the two metallic structures. By collecting the X-ray diffuse scattering under grazing incidence using a 2-dimensional image plate detector, we mapped the reciprocal space of these films. We characterized the correlated interface roughness starting with a buffer of Fe in which only three interfaces are present. The propagation of the roughness was subsequently characterized for Fe/Au multilayers with 40 and 100 bilayers. We observe an enlargement of the surface features as a function of time, evidenced by the longer lateral cutoff length measured for thicker films.


2000 ◽  
Vol 07 (04) ◽  
pp. 437-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. RENAUD

The application of X-rays to the structural characterization of surfaces and interfaces, in situ and in UHV, is discussed on selected examples. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction is not only a very powerful technique for quantitatively investigating the atomic structure of surfaces and interfaces, but is also very useful for providing information on the interfacial registry for coherent interfaces or on the strain deformation, island and grain sizes for incoherent epilayers.


1998 ◽  
Vol 524 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Chang ◽  
U. Beck ◽  
T. H. Metzger ◽  
J. R. Patel

ABSTRACTTo characterize the point defects and point defect clusters introduced by ion implantation and annealing, we have used grazing incidence x-rays to measure the diffuse scattering in the tails of Bragg peaks (Huang Scattering). An analysis of the diffuse scattered intensity will allow us to characterize the nature of point defects or defect clusters introduced by ion implantation. We have also observed unexpected satellite peaks in the diffuse scattered tails. Possible causes for the occurrence of the peaks will be discussed.


1990 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian K Tanner ◽  
Simon J Miles ◽  
D Keith Bowen ◽  
Linda Hart ◽  
Neil Loxley

ABSTRACTX-ray reflectance measurements at grazing incidence provide non-destructively a measure of the thickness of thin layers, the electron density as a function of depth, and interface and surface roughness. We show that the effect of roughness at a buried interface is only to reduce the visibility of the interference fringes, whereas roughness at the top surface leads also to an overall increase in the rate of fall of intensity with angle (or energy). These two contributions can then be readily distinguished.Most work has been performed in monochromatic angular dispersive mode. We present here a preliminary study of the application of the high-energy, fixed-angle, energy dispersive mode for the study of thin epitaxial layers, Langmuir-Blodgett films, surface damage on silicon chemi-sol polished wafers and ion implanted silicon and aluminium. Data has been analysed using the theory of Parratt, which we have adapted for use in the energy dispersive method.


2000 ◽  
Vol 615 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.K. Tanner ◽  
T.P.A. Hase ◽  
B.D. Fulthorpe ◽  
J. Clarke ◽  
G.M. Luo ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTWe discuss the application of x-ray scattering and fluorescence to the problem of unravelling the relationship between the structural and magnetic properties of magnetic multilayers. Particular attention is paid to the use of grazing incidence diffuse scatter to determine the compositional gradient, out-of-plane roughness amplitude, in-plane correlation length and fractal parameter of buried interfaces. Anomalous scattering provides information on the local environment of specific atoms and grazing incidence fluorescence is a depth -sensitive probe of chemical composition. We present examples indicating the sensitivity limits and the reproducibility of the techniques, all from multiple layer structures of magnetic metals.


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