What can we learn from off-specular neutron reflection?
Specular reflection of neutrons or x rays has been developed recently as a tool to probe density variations in the neighborhood of flat interfaces. The techniques have been applied to a variety of materials problems ranging from polymer adsorption to hydrogenation of carbon films and the structure of magnetic multilayers. In addition to the specular scattering, diffuse scattering is often observed, sometimes in strikingly beautiful patterns. This scattering is caused by imperfections such as interfacial roughness or density fluctuations within a layer. As a general rule, the diffuse, off-specular scattering measures the density-density correlation function within and between the interfaces responsible for the specular scattering. Interpretation of diffuse x-ray and neutron scattering from surfaces and interfaces is in its infancy using theoretical schemes that are still being developed. In this talk the author shows examples of diffuse scattering patterns and offers some guidelines for their interpretation.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 10103426
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-94-4082; CONF-941144-5; ON: DE95003635; TRN: 95:000357
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Fall meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS),Boston, MA (United States),28 Nov - 9 Dec 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1995]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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