Nanostructural Characterization of Surfaces, Interfaces, and Thinfilms using X-ray Reciprocal-Lattice Space Imaging

We have developed a nondestructive analysis method, which is named X-ray reciprocallattice space imaging, based on synchrotron diffraction for quickly characterizing a crystalline nanometer-scale structure in a non-vacuum environment. The basic idea behind the method is that the reciprocal lattice of 1 D or 2D structures are an array of sheets or rods, respectively. Thus the reciprocal-lattice space can be recorded for a fixed sample with a 2D X-ray detector fixed. We successfully demonstrated that the method was applicable to structural evaluation of ultrathin NiO wires on a sapphire surface in air, Bi nanolines buried in Si, an interfacial structure of a Au electrode in solution, and a thinfilm of Bi4Ti3O12.