X-ray Reflectometry and Related Surface Near X-ray Scattering Methods

Abstract

Surface sensitive X-ray scattering methods are mostly non-destructive tools which are frequently used to investigate the nature of thin films, interfaces and artificial near surface structures. Discussed here are diffraction based methods, namely reflectometry and the related techniques grazing incidence diffraction and crystal truncation rod measurements. For the experiment, an X-ray beam is diffracted from surface near structures of the sample and detected by adequate detectors. To analyze the data the according X-ray scattering theory has to be applied. The full theory of surface sensitive X-ray scattering is complex and based on general considerations from wave optics. However, instructive insights into the scattering processes are provided by the Born-approximation which in many cases yields sufficient results. The methods are applied to solve the structure of a mercury-electrolyte interface during a chemical reaction and to determine the strain distribution in surface near SiGe quantum dots.