Variable-wavelength quick scanning nano-focused X-ray microscopy for in situ strain and tilt mapping

TL;DR

This paper introduces a vibration-free, variable-wavelength quick scanning nano-focused X-ray microscopy technique for in situ strain and tilt mapping, enabling detailed analysis of micro-pillars during mechanical compression without sample disturbance.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel vibration-free X-ray microscopy method that scans incident beam energy and focusing optics instead of moving the sample, improving in situ strain and tilt measurements.

Findings

Accurately maps strain and lattice orientation during in situ compression.

Achieves good agreement with traditional rocking-curve scans.

Enables analysis of complex materials where sample manipulation is challenging.

Abstract

Compression of micro-pillars is followed in situ by a quick nano-focused X-ray scanning microscopy technique combined with three-dimensional reciprocal space mapping. Compared to other attempts using 2 X-ray nanobeams, it avoids any motion or vibration that would lead to a destruction of the sample. The technique consists of scanning both the energy of the incident nano-focused X-ray beam and the in-plane translations of the focusing optics along the X-ray beam. Here, we demonstrate the approach by imaging the strain and lattice orientation of Si micro-pillars and their pedestals during in situ compression. Varying the energy of the incident beam instead of rocking the sample and mapping the focusing optics instead of moving the sample supplies a vibration-free measurement of the reciprocal space maps without removal of the mechanical load. The maps of strain and lattice orientation are in good agreement with the ones recorded by ordinary rocking-curve scans. Variable-wavelength quick scanning X-ray microscopy opens the route for in situ strain and tilt mapping towards more diverse and complex materials environments, especially where sample manipulation is difficult.