Materials Research using Synchrotron Radiation

Lecturer(s)

Prof. J. F. van der Veen, Prof. B. Schönfeld

Hour(s) of lecture(s), exercise(s) and credit points

2L
1E
6CP

Teaching goals

A comprehensive understanding of the interaction of x-rays with condensed matter and their use in materials analysis.

Summary and outline

The course gives an introduction to the use of synchrotron radiation in materials science. It treats the generation of intense x-ray beams at synchrotron radiation sources and their use for the characterisation of materials properties at different length scales.

Interaction of x-rays with matter:
Elastic scattering from bound electron, atom and assemblies of atoms; Compton scattering; principles of diffraction from crystals and scattering from disordered systems; thermal diffuse scattering, small-angle scattering from nanometre-sized objects; X-ray absorption spectroscopy; comparison with neutron scattering, where appropriate

The generation of high-brilliance x-ray beams at synchrotron radiation sources:
Undulators, wigglers and bending magnets; comparison with conventional lab sources; the future x-ray free electron laser

Instrumentation:
Monochromator; diffractometer; detector

Determination of materials properties:
Crystal structure; defects and strain fields; structure of surfaces and interfaces; chemical bonding properties

New methods:
Coherent x-ray scattering: phase contrast imaging, holography, photon correlation spectroscopy

Literature

A reader will be available

J. Als-Nielsen and D. McMorrow: Elements of Modern X-Ray Physics, Wiley, 2001.