Development of Nanoscale Strain Mapping Instrumentation

9625887 Cargill This award is for the development of instrumentation for quantitative strain measurements in crystalline solids with the goal of 10nm lateral spatial resolution and 10-4 strain sensitivity, with concurrent composition and microstructure mapping capabilities at this resolution. This instrument will advance x-ray diffraction to the range of spatial resolution usually associated with scanning or transmission electron microscopy. Nanoscale x-ray diffraction will employ white beam synchrotron radiation collimated and concentrated by a tapered glass capillary. Laue diffraction patterns from single grains will be examined with a CCD-based area detector. Strains within single grains will be determined from lattice parameter measurements using an Si(Li) detector, with careful attention to stability of associated electronics and to optimally fitting energy peaks in the detector output to determine x-ray photon energies. %%% The capabilities to be provided by this instrument are critically important in understanding the properties of nanofarbricated materials. Understanding the optical properties of quantum well-based structures, the mechanical properties of nanomachines, and the strength and toughness of nanocomposites require quantitative measurements of strain on the nanometer scale.