In-Operando Study of Epitaxial Thin Film with Dark Field X-Ray Microscopy

Domain exists in all sorts of crystalline materials on nano- to micro-meter length scale, whose formation, interaction, and evolution under external stimuli might dictate success or failure of the material. Studying domain evolution would require tools with good spatial-resolution, large enough sampling area/volume, as well as great structure sensitivity. A diffraction based, dark field X-ray microscopy method, the X-ray reflection interface microscopy (XRIM), can be such a tool in studying domains dynamics on the meso-scale at the surfaces, buried interfaces, and throughout a thin film.<br/>By satisfying proper scattering conditions, XRIM can selectively track different structural domains, making it an excellent candidate to study thin films in-operando in real time. Combined with the reciprocal space mapping (RSM), the spatially resolved structure evolution can be identified as external stimuli are applied. A couple of examples will be discussed to demonstrate the capability of XRIM method and its potential applications in a broader field.