An algorithm is proposed for determining the orientational relationships and crystal unit-cell parameters of thin films using a laboratory X-ray diffractometer and stereographic projections. It is illustrated by the treatment of experimental data obtained for yttrium orthoferrite YFeO3 films on single crystalline sapphire (Al2O3) substrates for film thicknesses in the range from 100 to 7000 Å. Precise determination of unit-cell constants and angles is possible by combining the results of X-ray measurements made in the in-plane and out-of-plane geometries. The unit-cell unit parameters and orientation relationships for thin films were determined. For the studied films, typical errors in determining unit-cell parameters and angles are better than 0.17 Å and 0.17°, respectively.

X-ray and magnetometry methods are used to show that, during magnetron sputtering of Dy/Co periodic multilayer systems, the DyCo2 and DyCo3 intermetallics form. The main reason for the phase formation of various intermetallics is the structural state of buffer layer, namely, its crystalline and amorphous state in the case of crystalline and glass substrate, respectively.

X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy were used to examine the crystal structure features of ultrathin (3–50 nm) yttrium orthoferrite films, obtained by magnetron sputtering of stoichiometric composition target on α-Al2O3 substrates with orientation. The morphology and crystal structure of the films differ significantly depending on their thickness. In the thinnest films, several phases are formed, including yttrium orthoferrite with an orthorhombic crystal lattice (o-YFeO3), yttrium hexaferrite with a hexagonal crystal lattice (h-YFeO3), iron-yttrium garnet (Y3Fe5O12), and iron oxides such as hematite and maghemite. The study examines the local composition and determines the orientation ratios between the crystallized phases and the substrate. The films with a thickness greater than 10 nm predominantly exhibit a highly textured phase of o-YFeO3 with a small admixture of iron-yttrium garnet.

Recent research has demonstrated the high potential of grazing-emission X-ray fluorescence as a nanometrology tool for structures with complex 3D architecture. The technique now allows separate reconstruction of the spatial atomic distributions of different chemical elements both vertically and laterally, which opens up new and interesting applications in the nanofabrication industry. This study compares grazing-emission fluorescence with the well established grazing-incidence X-ray fluorescence method. The comparison uses a simple 1D thin-film structure. Reconstruction of the structure by both methods is performed and the statistical uncertainties of these reconstructions are compared by means of Monte Carlo Markov-chain simulations. For the forward model a semi-analytic approach is derived which allows simulation of the fluorescence intensity. This approach takes into account both grazing-incidence and grazing-emission cases. It also accounts for an even more complex physical phenomenon, the anomalous Kossel effect. Finally, using this semi-analytic approach, an experimental scheme combining grazing-incidence and grazing-emission X-ray fluorescence is studied theoretically.

Abstract—Structural studies of multilayer magnetic nanostructures formed by alternating layers of transition (Fe) and rare earth (Gd) metals placed in a hydrogen atmosphere at a temperature of 100°C have been carried out. When hydrogen is absorbed by rare earth metals, crystalline phases GdHx arise (form), the microstructural features of which were studied by X-ray diagnostics and electron microscopy.

Structural studies of multilayer magnetic nanostructures formed by alternating layers of transition (Fe) and rare-earth (Gd) metals, which are placed into a hydrogen atmosphere at 100°C, are performed. The hydrogen absorption of rare-earth metals results in the formation of GdH x crystalline phases, the microstructural peculiarities of which are studied by X-ray diagnostics techniques and electron microscopy.

The YFeO3 orthoferrite is one of the most promising materials for antiferromagnetic (AFM) spintronics. Most studies have dealt with bulk samples, while the thin YFeO3 films possess unusual and variable properties. Ultrathin (3–50 nm) YFeO3 films have been prepared by magnetron sputtering on the r-plane (1 1¯ 0 2)-oriented Al2O3 substrates (r-Al2O3). Their characterization was undertaken by the Mössbauer reflectivity method using a Synchrotron Mössbauer Source and by X-ray diffraction (XRD) including grazing incidence diffraction (GI-XRD). For thin films with different thicknesses, the spin reorientation was detected under the application of the magnetic field of up to 3.5 T. Structural investigations revealed a predominant orthorhombic highly textured YFeO3 phase with (00l) orientation for relatively thick (>10 nm) films. Some inclusions of the Y3Fe5O12 garnet (YIG) phase as well as a small amount of the hexagonal YFeO3 phase were detected in the Mössbauer reflectivity spectra and by XRD.

The laser-synchrotron facility (LSF) of the National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute” (NRC KI) is a unique research complex that combines unprecedented possibilities of a cutting-edge rapidly developing field of modern science—physics of ultrashort laser pulses and superstrong electromagnetic fields, which provides unique diagnostic possibilities of the specialized synchrotron radiation (SR) source. The studies devoted to generation of superstrong light fields and interaction of these fields with a material, which had been performed at the LSF of the NRC KI in the last few years, are reviewed. An arsenal of diagnostic methods and the principles of locking of the SR source and the subpetawatt laser complex were developed, which makes it possible to solve the problems related to the dynamics of material structural transformation with extremely small temporal (picosecond) and spatial (atomic) resolution, to obtain knowledge on ultrafast temporal dynamics of chemical processes and control of chemical reactions, to study the interaction of X rays and high-energy particles with biological objects, to simulate experiments on the X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL), and to develop ideological platforms for participation of Russian scientists in the XFEL projects.

The role of size effects in the formation of the magnetic structure of Dy and Ho thin films in absence of epitaxial strain is studied in this work. It was found that, for Dy in the temperature range between the Néel temperature and the Curie temperature of bulk Dy and, for Ho, in the temperature range between the Néel temperature and the temperature of phase transition into the conic phase, the temperature dependences of the period of magnetic helicoid in the bulk and film metals are similar. The character of the transition into the ferromagnetic phase in the Dy films changes at lower temperatures, and the transition into the commensurable conic phase in the Ho films is suppressed. This is explained exclusively by the influence of dimensional effects.

N. O. Antropov, 2 E. A. Kravtsov, M. V. Makarova, V. V. Proglyado, T. Keller, 4 I. A. Subbotin, E. M. Pashaev, G. V. Prutskov, A. L. Vasiliev, Yu. M. Chesnokov, N. G. Bebenin, V. V. Ustinov, B. Keimer, and Yu. N. Khaydukov 4, 6 Institute of Metal Physics, 620180 Ekaterinburg, Russia Ural Federal University, 620002 Ekaterinburg, Russia Max-Planck-Institut für Festkörperforschung, Heisenbergstraße 1, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany Max Planck Society Outstation at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), D-85748 Garching, Germany National Research Center ”Kurchatov Institute”, 123182 Moscow, Russia Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia (Dated: February 2, 2021)

Silicon crystals exposed to near-IR femtosecond laser pulses have been investigated by X-ray diffraction. It is shown that a high-power laser impact on silicon with a pulse energy of 0.79 mJ leads to the formation of polycrystalline metastable phase Si-III on the surface of Si-I.

The arrival of the 4 th Generation Synchrotron Rings (4GSR) facilitates a crucial step forward in the application range of modern X-ray methods. The 4GSR sources pave a way for time resolved experiments at nanometer and nanosecond resolution level and beyond. Their development therefore allows for moving the established scattering, diffraction and spectroscopy methods to the nanoscale, to combine them with microscopy at mesoscopic levels and to investigate dynamics at nanosecond time scales. The Russian national flagship Ultimate Source for Synchrotron Radiation (USSR) facility will be one of the world leading synchrotrons once it starts operation. A capable of obtaining the information real resolution The required spatial resolution on the objects can vary from several interatomic spaces in modern microelectronic devices, lithium-based batteries and catalytic materials and up to tens of micrometers e. g. in research on mechanical fails or stress propagation. key on the evolution of the objects, under external influences or the cause of nanobeam experiments, conceptual design of nano-diffraction beamlines USSR. Here, we present an analysis of the scientific cases and developments of conceptual and technical solutions for the design of a scattering/diffraction beamline. This study includes a broad overview of recent scientific cases investigated at nowadays beamlines with similar focus. Additionally, we present an extensive comparison of Nanoprobe Beamlines at 4GSR that are already operating or under construction. From those key data, we derive a model beamline for nanoprobe experiments at USSR. This generic beamline consists of (1) a double-crystal monochromator Si(111) with a bandwidth of 10 -4 , covering an energy range of 5 keV to 40 keV, (2) a 4m long tunable undulator (see Fig. 1), (3) two different combinations of focusing elements and (4) a 4+2 circle diffractometer. The beam properties of these concepts were modelled with the x-ray tracing software xrt at different positions of the beamline. The minimal beam size at the sample position is 220nm x 70nm (FWHM), see Fig. 2.

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031918X21880013

The structure of a material promising for magnetic memory elements based on Fe/Pd/Gd/Pd superlattices has been investigated by X-ray analysis and electron microscopy. Microstructural transformations in the superlattices and the influence of microstructure modification on the magnetic properties of the system are determined. It is shown that intense diffusion of Pd atoms to Gd layers occurs in the superlattices under study. The presence of a paramagnetic Pd layer changes the character of exchange interaction between neighboring ferromagnetic layers due to the induced magnetic moment on Pd atoms near the interface because of the interface imperfection. Nanocrystalline inclusions are found in the Pd/Gd/Pd layers, which are suggested to affect the specificity of magnetic ordering in these systems, as confirmed by magnetic measurements.

For the first time, the process of growing a CdTe crystal by the modified Obreimov–Shubnikov method using the technique of self-nucleation from the initial cooling temperature (1100°C) to the time of reaching the stationary growth mode is simulated. The motion of the crystallization front during crystal growth is calculated. The results are confirmed by the X-ray topography method with use of synchrotron rad-iation.