Roughness replication in neutron supermirrors

2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 184-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamás Veres ◽  
Szilárd Sajti ◽  
László Cser ◽  
Szabolcs Bálint ◽  
László Bottyán

Neutron supermirrors (SMs), the major components of neutron optical devices, are depth-graded d-spacing multilayers of several hundreds to several thousands of bilayers. The interface roughness is a major factor in the reflectivity of multilayers. This influence is especially significant if the number of bilayers is large. In this work, the interface roughness and its correlations were studied in DC-sputtered Ni–Ti neutron supermirrors. Detector scans were carried out to observe off-specular neutron scattering in selected regions of the q space from (increasing bilayer thickness) normal- and (decreasing bilayer thickness) reverse-layer-sequence SMs. In-plane and out-of-plane roughness correlations are manifested in diffuse scatter plateaus and peaks which are interpreted in terms of resonant diffuse scattering. Distorted wave Born approximation simulations quantitatively reproduce the characteristic features of the measured detector scans with reasonable roughness correlation parameters, i.e. in-plane and out-of-plane correlation lengths, common interface roughness, and Hurst parameters. The different character of resonant diffuse scattering from normal- and reverse-layer-sequence SMs is qualitatively explained and systematized using quasi-kinematical considerations in terms of material and SM parameters. The total off-specular intensity of the supermirrors was found to be non-monotonic with respect to the specular reflectivity at the corresponding angle of incidence.

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Fujii

In the conventional X-ray reflectivity (XRR) analysis, the reflectivity is calculated based on the Parratt formalism, incorporating the effect of the interface roughness according to Nevot and Croce. However, the results of calculations of the XRR have shown strange outcomes, where interference effects increase at a rough surface because of a lack of consideration of diffuse scattering within the Parratt formalism. Therefore, we have developed a new improved formalism in which the effects of the surface and interface roughness are included correctly. In this study, for deriving a more accurate formalism of XRR, we tried to compare the measurements of surface roughness of the same sample by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and XRR. It is found that the AFM result could not be completely reproduced even with the improved XRR formalism. By careful study of the AFM results, we determined the need for an additional effective roughness term within the XRR simulation that depends on the angle of incidence of the beam.


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.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 532
Author(s):  
Emily E. Pocock ◽  
Richard J. Mandle ◽  
John W. Goodby

Liquid crystalline dimers and dimesogens have attracted significant attention due to their tendency to exhibit twist-bend modulated nematic (NTB) phases. While the features that give rise to NTB phase formation are now somewhat understood, a comparable structure–property relationship governing the formation of layered (smectic) phases from the NTB phase is absent. In this present work, we find that by selecting mesogenic units with differing polarities and aspect ratios and selecting an appropriately bent central spacer we obtain a material that exhibits both NTB and intercalated smectic phases. The higher temperature smectic phase is assigned as SmCA based on its optical textures and X-ray scattering patterns. A detailed study of the lower temperature smectic ‘’X’’ phase by optical microscopy and SAXS/WAXS demonstrates this phase to be smectic, with an in-plane orthorhombic or monoclinic packing and long (>100 nm) out of plane correlation lengths. This phase, which has been observed in a handful of materials to date, is a soft-crystal phase with an anticlinic layer organisation. We suggest that mismatching the polarities, conjugation and aspect ratios of mesogenic units is a useful method for generating smectic forming dimesogens.


2011 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 603-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Cervellino ◽  
S. N. Gvasaliya ◽  
O. Zaharko ◽  
B. Roessli ◽  
G. M. Rotaru ◽  
...  

The relaxor ferroelectric PbMg1/3Ta2/3O3was studied by single-crystal neutron and synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and its detailed atomic structure modelled in terms of static Pb displacements that lead to the formation of polar nanoregions. Similar to the other members of the Pb-based relaxor family like PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3or PbZn1/3Nb2/3O3the diffuse scattering in the [H00]/[0K0] scattering plane has a butterfly shape around theh00 Bragg reflections and is orthogonal to the scattering vector forhh0 peaks. In the [HH0]/[00L] plane the diffuse scattering is elongated along the 〈112〉 directions and is orthogonal to the scattering vector forhhhreflections. It is found that a model consisting of correlated Pb displacements along the 〈111〉 directions reproduces adequately the main features of the diffuse scattering in PbMg1/3Ta2/3O3when the correlation lengths between the Pb-ion displacement vectors are longest along the 〈111〉 and shortest along the 〈11{\overline 2}〉 and 〈1{\overline 1}0〉 directions.


1987 ◽  
Vol 103 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R Nutt ◽  
J. E. Keem

ABSTRACTWe have prepared multilayer films of W-Si with bilayer repeat spacing from approximately 1.5 nm to 9 nm and performed high resolution electron microscopy and low angle x-ray scattering on them. Average composition estimates as inferred from deposition conditions, x ray scattering and electron microscopy are compared. Determinations of the individual layer thickness ratios by electron microscopy and x ray scattering vary significantly from expectations as the bilayer thickness approaches 1.5 nm. Layer intermixing to increase as the bilayer thickness decreases. Composition profiles as inferred from the Cuk x ray profile are compared to those inferred from the high resolution electron micrographs. Visual observations from melectron microscopy are presented indicating that the interface roughness is rapidly damped in the W-Si multilayer system. Estimates of the layer uniformity are made from the high resolution images.


1994 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1434-1440 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.J. Martínez-Miranda ◽  
J.J. Santiago-Avilés ◽  
W.R. Graham ◽  
P.A. Heiney ◽  
M.P. Siegal

We performed a series of glancing angle and reflection x-ray diffraction experiments to study both the in-plane and out-of-plane structure of epitaxial YSi2−x films grown on Si(111), with thicknesses ranging from 85 Å to 510 Å. These measurements allowed us to characterize the mean film lattice constants, the position correlation lengths of the film, and the presence and extent of strain as a function of film thickness. We find that the strain along the basal plane increases as a function of increasing thickness to approximately 1% in the 510 Å film; the corresponding out-of-plane strain is such that the film unit cell volume increases as a function of thickness. The corresponding in-plane microscopic strain varies from 0.5% for the 85 Å film to 0.3% for the 510 Å film. We relate our results to the mode of film growth and the presence of pinholes in the films.


1994 ◽  
Vol 332 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Wormington ◽  
K. Sakurai ◽  
D.K. Bowen ◽  
B.K. Tanner

ABSTRACTGrazing incidence X-ray reflectivity may be used to measure surface topography including roughness and correlation lengths to sub-nanometre precision. A study is made of a technically important surface, a carefully-polished specimen of Zerodur glass-ceramic, which has been measured by diffuse scatter of CuKα X-radiation and atomic-force profilometry methods. The data have been analysed in terms of a fractal representation of the surface correlation function. Results from the two methods agreed within their estimated errors, with the X-ray data showing roughnesses of 1.3 nm, correlation length of 1 μm and fractal parameter (bandwidth) of 0.35. The X-ray methods have a lower cut-off length, are much more rapid for averaged information and are both non-contacting and non-destructive. They also show potential for the study of interface roughness in thin films.


1998 ◽  
Vol 05 (06) ◽  
pp. 1241-1248 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Kuch ◽  
R. Frömter ◽  
J. Gilles ◽  
D. Hartmann ◽  
Ch. Ziethen ◽  
...  

We have used a photoemission microscope to obtain element-resolved magnetic contrast in stacked magnetic thin film systems. Magnetic information is thereby provided by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Elemental sensitivity, which is crucial for studying magnetic coupling phenomena in systems with several different layers, is achieved by tuning the energy of the illuminating photons to atomic absorption edges. We present measurements of a Ni-coated Co micropattern on Cu(001), and a wedged Co/Cr/Fe(001) sample. In the former sample the Ni magnetization is seen to follow the magnetization of the Co pattern, thereby changing from an out-of-plane easy axis in areas without underlying Co to in-plane on top of the Co microstructures. In the latter a reversal of the exchange coupling of the Co layer to the Fe magnetization is observed when the Cr layer thickness exceeds approximately two monolayers. A small net magnetic moment is also observed in the Cr spacer layer, which follows in sign the Co magnetization at the reversal of the exchange coupling. This finding is discussed in terms of interface roughness or interdiffusion.


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