Thin film characterization using Grazing Incidence X-ray Scattering and Spectroscopy

The nanostructure of organic thin films is often closely linked with its physical properties. Particularly for functional material systems, the interest is strong to be able to fully and unambiguously characterize the nanostructure of the surface and bulk of the films. We present here recent measurements using a combination of grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GIXS) and spectroscopy to investigate the nanomorphology of thin films applicable for a wide range of materials.
Exploiting the sensitivity of X-rays to certain elements in a specific photon energy range, we can retrieve material signatures in combination with information on structural length scales. This allows us to differentiate between different material combinations giving rise to the measured structural length scales. This information is lacking in conventional GIXS measurements, where a constant contrast based on electron density differences is used for structural analysis. Such measurements are highly valuable for gaining understanding of fundamental thin film nanomorphology and therefore for improving material performance.