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The dynamics of supported polymer films were studied by probing the surface height fluctuations as a function of lateral length scale using x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. Measurements were performed on polystyrene (PS) films of thicknesses varying from 84 to 333 nm at temperatures above the PS glass transition temperature. Within a range of wave vectors spanning 10(-3) to 10(-2) nm(-1), good agreement is found between the measured surface dynamics and the theory of overdamped thermal capillary waves on thin films. Quantitatively, the data can be accounted for using the viscosity of bulk PS.

The orientational distribution function of the nematic phase of suspensions of the semiflexible rodlike virus fd is measured by x-ray diffraction as a function of concentration and ionic strength. X-ray diffraction from a single-domain nematic phase of fd is influenced by interparticle correlations at low angle, while only intraparticle scatter contributes at high angle. Consequently, the angular distribution of the scattered intensity arises from only the single-particle orientational distribution function at high angle but it also includes spatial and orientational correlations at low angle. Experimental measurements of the orientational distribution function from both the interparticle (structure factor) and intraparticle (form factor) scattering were made to test whether the correlations present in interparticle scatter influence the measurement of the single-particle orientational distribution function. It was found that the two types of scatter yield consistent values for the nematic order parameter. It was also found that x-ray diffraction is insensitive to the orientational distribution function's precise form, and the measured angular intensity distribution is described equally well by both Onsager's trial function and a Gaussian. At high ionic strength, the order parameter S of the nematic phase coexisting with the isotropic phase approaches theoretical predictions for long semiflexible rods S=0.55, but deviations from theory increase with decreasing ionic strength. The concentration dependence of the nematic order parameter also better agrees with theoretical predictions at high ionic strength indicating that electrostatic interactions have a measurable effect on the nematic order parameter. The x-ray order parameters are shown to be proportional to the measured birefringence, and the saturation birefringence of fd is determined enabling a simple, inexpensive way to measure the order parameter. Additionally, the spatial ordering of nematic fd was probed. Measurements of the nematic structure factor revealed a single large peak in contrast to nematics of rigid rods.

We present a study of the morphology, structure, and electronic properties of interfaces formed between Au and the organic semiconductor diindenoperylene ͑DIP͒ employing transmission electron microscopy ͑TEM͒, atomic-force microscopy ͑AFM͒, x-ray diffraction, and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy ͑UPS͒. Pronounced islanding of the DIP films deposited on Au is found by AFM as well as by TEM. In addition, TEM images show individual monolayers of DIP with the long molecular axis parallel to the substrate, suggesting a lying-down phase ͑-phase͒. TEM images also show the formation of Au clusters and a certain degree of Au interdiffusion into the DIP film after Au deposition on DIP. Specular and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction show the coexistence of standing phase ͑-phase͒ and -phase with a preferred growth of the -phase. UPS is used to study the evolution of the electronic structure of the DIP-on-Au and Au-on-DIP interfaces. DIP is found to physisorb on Au. The energy difference between substrate Fermi level and the DIP highest occupied molecular orbital at the interface is 1.0 eV. This hole-injection barrier increases to 1.45 eV away from the interface because of decreased screening by the metal and possible changes in molecular conformation. For Au deposition onto DIP, UPS traces the formation of Au clusters as a function of Au coverage. These clusters percolate only for Au coverages higher than 32 Å to give a continuous metal surface coverage and conductivity. The interaction between the Au clusters and DIP is also found to be of physisorptive nature.

Using neutron reflectometry and resonant x-ray techniques we studied the magnetic proximity effect (MPE) in superlattices composed of superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 and ferromagnetic-metallic La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 or ferromagnetic-insulating LaMnO(3+δ). We find that the MPE strongly depends on the electronic state of the manganite layers, being pronounced for the ferromagnetic-metallic La0.67Ca0.33MnO3 and almost absent for ferromagnetic-insulating LaMnO(3+δ). We also detail the change of the magnetic depth profile due to the MPE and provide evidence for its intrinsic nature.