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Grazing small‐angle scattering of X‐rays for the study of thin surface layers
Author(s) -
Naudon A.,
Slimani T.,
Goudeau P.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s002188989100482x
Subject(s) - scattering , grazing incidence small angle scattering , optics , monochromator , materials science , thin film , small angle scattering , x ray , beam (structure) , physics , inelastic scattering , x ray raman scattering , wavelength , nanotechnology
Studies of a thin layer by small‐angle scattering (SAS) of X‐rays in the transmission mode gives weak intensities because the X‐ray path is short. Grazing‐incidence X‐ray scattering circumvents this difficulty for the analysis of a thin layer deposited on a substrate or the surface of a bulk sample. Here the X‐ray path increases and the background is low enough. The penetration depth can be controlled by controlling the incidence angle of the X‐ray beam. The prerequisites of a grazing small‐angle X‐ray scattering apparatus are a small divergence of the incident beam and a large X‐ray flux. The instrument described here consists of a rotating‐anode X‐ray source, a highly asymmetric monochromator and a position‐sensitive detector. The feasibility of grazing‐incidence experiments is demonstrated with a polished surface of bulk Al–Ag sample. It was possible to perform quantitative measurements of the scattering due to GP (Guinier–Preston) zones in this alloy.