Selective Evaluation of Molecular Aggregation Structure in Soft Materials using Wide-Range of X-ray Energy

To understand an elemental distribution and molecular aggregation structure of polymeric materials are essential for fabricating functional materials. A use of tender X-ray (2-5 keV) is important to achieve the characterization of elemental distribution in polymeric materials because the absorption of light elements exists in these energies. The use of tender X-ray enables to detect lower scattering angle within the limitation of camera length. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) with higher than 0.5 nm wavelength can evaluate the sample with larger than 300 nm domain spacing. Furthermore, the population of each micro crystalline structure in thin film depending on depth can also trace using grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction (GI-WAXD) with tender X-ray because penetration depth to the sample gradually changes. In this study, we introduce the results of SAXS, GI-WAXD, and X-ray reflectivity using wide-range of X-ray energy. Combination of these measurement techniques is of use to achieve the real visualization of the structure in thin films.