Applicability of Coherent X-Ray Diffractive Imaging to Ferroelectric, Ferromagnetic, and Phase Change Materials

Rapid development in the field of ferroelectric and magnetic materials has attracted much interest in the past decade. The underlying mechanisms of the fundamental phenomenon of phase transitions in these materials are extremely important in understanding their physical properties and their potential technological applications. Therefore, it is vital for the advancement of high-resolution versatile imaging techniques that enable high-throughput and nano-scale characterization in the nano-crystals and electronic devices. X-ray based imaging techniques such as Bragg coherent x-ray diffractive imaging (CXDI) has been one of the dominant nondestructive imaging tools with high-resolution and refraction sensitivities that provide quantitative information in bulk and nano-scale crystals and their associated nano-devices. In this review, we will focus on the recent developments of using Bragg CXDI at the state-of-art endstations in synchrotron radiation facilities worldwide to understand the structures of ferroelectric and magnetic materials and the structural phase transition of complex materials. We will also present our perspectives on the opportunities and challenges in using Bragg CXDI techniques for materials characterization.