Thin Film Analysis By X Ray Scattering

With contributions by Paul F. Fewster and Christoph Genzel While X-ray diffraction investigation of powders and polycrystalline matter was at the forefront of materials science in the 1960s and 70s, high-tech applications at the beginning of the 21st century are driven by the materials science of thin films. Very much an interdisciplinary field, chemists, biochemists, materials scientists, physicists and engineers all have a common interest in thin films and their manifold uses and applications. Grain size, porosity, density, preferred orientation and other properties are important to know: whether thin films fulfill their intended function depends crucially on their structure and morphology once a chemical composition has been chosen. Although their backgrounds differ greatly, all the involved specialists a profound understanding of how structural properties may be determined in order to perform their respective tasks in search of new and modern materials, coatings and functions. The author undertakes this in-depth introduction to the field of thin film X-ray characterization in a clear and precise manner.

With contributions by Paul F. Fewster and Christoph Genzel While X-ray diffraction investigation of powders and polycrystalline matter was at the forefront of materials science in the 1960s and 70s, high-tech applications at the beginning of the 21st century are driven by the materials science of thin films. Very much an interdisciplinary field, chemists, biochemists, materials scientists, physicists and engineers all have a common interest in thin films and their manifold uses and applications. Grain size, porosity, density, preferred orientation and other properties are important to know: whether thin films fulfill their intended function depends crucially on their structure and morphology once a chemical composition has been chosen. Although their backgrounds differ greatly, all the involved specialists a profound understanding of how structural properties may be determined in order to perform their respective tasks in search of new and modern materials, coatings and functions. The author undertakes this in-depth introduction to the field of thin film X-ray characterization in a clear and precise manner.

During the last 20 years interest in high-resolution x-ray diffractometry and reflectivity has grown as a result of the development of the semiconductor industry and the increasing interest in material research of thin layers of magnetic, organic, and other materials. For example, optoelectronics requires a subsequent epitaxy of thin layers of different semiconductor materials. Here, the individuallayer thicknesses are scaled down to a few atomic layers in order to exploit quantum effects. For reasons of electronic and optical confinement, these thin layers are embedded within much thicker cladding layers or stacks of multilayers of slightly different chemical composition. It is evident that the interface quality of those quantum weHs is quite important for the function of devices. Thin metallic layers often show magnetic properties which do not ap pear for thick layers or in bulk material. The investigation of the mutual interaction of magnetic and non-magnetic layers leads to the discovery of colossal magnetoresistance, for example. This property is strongly related to the thickness and interface roughness of covered layers.

X-ray scattering techniques are a family of nondestructive analytical techniques. Using these techniques, scientists obtain information about the crystal structure and chemical and physical properties of materials. Nowadays, different techniques are based on observing the scattered intensity of an X-ray beam hitting a sample as a function of incident and scattered angle, polarization, and wavelength. This book is intended to give overviews of the relevant X-ray scattering techniques, particularly about inelastic X-ray scattering, elastic scattering, grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and high-resolution X-ray diffraction, and, finally, applications of X-ray spectroscopy to study different biological systems.

This critical overview presents experimental methods for solving most frequent strucutral problems of mono-crystalline thin films and layered systems: thickness, crystalline state, strain distribution, interface quality and other properties. A unified theoretical approach based on kinematical and dynamical scattering theories describes the experimental methods. This book is a ready-to-hand reference for experimentalists who want to improve their knowledge on modern x-ray methods for thin-film analysis.

An indispensable resource for researchers and students in materials science, chemistry, physics, and pharmaceuticals Written by one of the pioneers of 2D X-Ray Diffraction, this updated and expanded edition of the definitive text in the field provides comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals of that analytical method, as well as state-of-the art experimental methods and applications. Geometry convention, x-ray source and optics, two-dimensional detectors, diffraction data interpretation, and configurations for various applications, such as phase identification, texture, stress, microstructure analysis, crystallinity, thin film analysis, and combinatorial screening are all covered in detail. Numerous experimental examples in materials research, manufacture, and pharmaceuticals are provided throughout. Two-dimensional x-ray diffraction is the ideal, non-destructive analytical method for examining samples of all kinds including metals, polymers, ceramics, semiconductors, thin films, coatings, paints, biomaterials, composites, and more. Two-Dimensional X-Ray Diffraction, Second Edition is an up-to-date resource for understanding how the latest 2D detectors are integrated into diffractometers, how to get the best data using the 2D detector for diffraction, and how to interpret this data. All those desirous of setting up a 2D diffraction in their own laboratories will find the author’s coverage of the physical principles, projection geometry, and mathematical derivations extremely helpful. Features new contents in all chapters with most figures in full color to reveal more details in illustrations and diffraction patterns Covers the recent advances in detector technology and 2D data collection strategies that have led to dramatic increases in the use of two-dimensional detectors for x-ray diffraction Provides in-depth coverage of new innovations in x-ray sources, optics, system configurations, applications and data evaluation algorithms Contains new methods and experimental examples in stress, texture, crystal size, crystal orientation and thin film analysis Two-Dimensional X-Ray Diffraction, Second Edition is an important working resource for industrial and academic researchers and developers in materials science, chemistry, physics, pharmaceuticals, and all those who use x-ray diffraction as a characterization method. Users of all levels, instrument technicians and X-ray laboratory managers, as well as instrument developers, will want to have it on hand.

The properties of soft-matter thin films (e.g. liquid films, polymer coatings, Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers) nowadays play an important role in materials science. They are also very exciting with respect to fundamental questions: In thin films, liquids and polymers may be considered as trapped in a quasi-two-dimensional geometry. This confined geometry is expected to alter the properties and structures of these materials considerably. This volume is dedicated to the scattering of x-rays by soft-matter interfaces. X-ray scattering under grazing angles is the only tool to investigating these materials on atomic and mesoscopic length scales. A review of the field is presented with many examples.

X-ray diffraction is a useful and powerful analysis technique for characterizing crystalline materials commonly employed in MSE, physics, and chemistry. This informative new book describes the principles of X-ray diffraction and its applications to materials characterization. It consists of three parts. The first deals with elementary crystallography and optics, which is essential for understanding the theory of X-ray diffraction discussed in the second section of the book. Part 2 describes how the X-ray diffraction can be applied for characterizing such various forms of materials as thin films, single crystals, and powders. The third section of the book covers applications of X-ray diffraction. The book presents a number of examples to help readers better comprehend the subject. X-Ray Diffraction for Materials Research: From Fundamentals to Applications also • provides background knowledge of diffraction to enable nonspecialists to become familiar with the topics • covers the practical applications as well as the underlying principle of X-ray diffraction • presents appropriate examples with answers to help readers understand the contents more easily • includes thin film characterization by X-ray diffraction with relevant experimental techniques • presents a huge number of elaborately drawn graphics to help illustrate the content The book will help readers (students and researchers in materials science, physics, and chemistry) understand crystallography and crystal structures, interference and diffraction, structural analysis of bulk materials, characterization of thin films, and nondestructive measurement of internal stress and phase transition. Diffraction is an optical phenomenon and thus can be better understood when it is explained with an optical approach, which has been neglected in other books. This book helps to fill that gap, providing information to convey the concept of X-ray diffraction and how it can be applied to the materials analysis. This book will be a valuable reference book for researchers in the field and will work well as a good introductory book of X-ray diffraction for students in materials science, physics, and chemistry.