IMR: Development of an Optimized Scanning X-Ray Microdiffraction System for Materials Research and Education

该项目将在劳伦斯伯克利国家实验室的先进光源（ALS）进一步开发一个非常高效的基于同步加速器的X射线微衍射（mXRD）系统。 X射线微衍射是一种新的技术，它采用亚微米X射线束，并在微观结构水平上产生关于材料结构、应变、织构和缺陷的独特信息。 由于大多数材料特性都是由在这一水平上发生的机制决定的，因此mXRD提供了一个强大的工具来更好地了解材料。 该项目将通过以下方式进一步改进和优化ALS的mXRD系统：（i）提高空间分辨率（低于100 nm）;（ii）允许实时数据分析;（iii）通过扩展X射线能量范围引入更高的应变分辨率（低至10-5）和更深的穿透;以及（iv）允许三维测量。 新的mXRD系统将允许材料科学和工程中的重要问题的第一次研究，包括应力，结构和域微观力学研究铁电体;在纳米级的金属变形和金属玻璃的变形机制的调查;相和应力演变的氧化物薄膜的研究;形状记忆合金的本构行为调查;微电子器件中的电迁移和应力研究。 由于更快的数据采集和分析，此次升级还有望显著提高mXRD光束线的生产率。 在教育和外联方面，该项目将为高中和研究生院之间各级学生提供独特的培训机会。 该项目将为一个非常高效的基于同步加速器的X射线微衍射（mXRD）系统增加新的功能，以解决一系列新的具有挑战性的材料科学问题。 在过去的5年中，X射线微衍射已经在亚微米级实现，劳伦斯伯克利国家实验室的先进光源（ALS）在这一领域取得了开创性的进展。 ALS的mXRD技术已成功应用于确定许多材料微观结构水平的应变和缺陷分布。 该项目将通过以下方式进一步改进和优化ALS的mXRD系统：（i）提高空间分辨率（低于100 nm）;（ii）允许实时数据分析;（iii）通过扩展X射线能量范围引入更高的应变分辨率（低至10-5）和更深的穿透力;以及（iv）允许三维测量。 新的mXRD系统将允许材料科学和工程中的重要问题的第一次研究，包括应力，结构和域微观力学研究铁电体;在纳米级的金属变形和金属玻璃的变形机制的调查;相和应力演变的氧化物薄膜的研究;形状记忆合金的本构行为调查;微电子器件中的电迁移和应力研究。 由于更快的数据采集和分析，此次升级还有望显著提高mXRD光束线的生产率。 在教育和外联方面，该项目将为高中和研究生院之间各级学生提供独特的培训机会。

This project will further develop a very productive synchrotron-based X-ray microdiffraction (mXRD) system at the Advanced Light Source (ALS), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. X-ray microdiffraction is a recent technique that employs sub-um X-ray beams and yields unique information on material structure, strain, texture and defects at the microstructural level. Since most material properties are dictated by mechanisms that occur at this level, mXRD offers a powerful tool to better understand materials. This project will further improve and optimize the mXRD system at ALS by: (i) improving spatial resolution (below 100 nm); (ii) allowing real-time data analysis; (iii) introducing higher strain resolution (down to 10-5) and deeper penetration by extending the X-ray energy range; and (iv) permitting three-dimensional measurements. The new mXRD system will allow the first time study of important problems in materials science and engineering that include stress, structure and domain micromechanics studies in ferroelectrics; investigation of metal deformation at the nanoscale and deformation mechanisms in metallic glasses; study of phase and stress evolution in oxide films; constitutive behavior investigation of shape memory alloys; electromigration and stress studies in microelectronic devices. The upgrade is also expected to raise the productivity of the mXRD beamline significantly due to faster data acquisition and analysis. For education and outreach, this project will offer unique training opportunities to students at all levels between high school and graduate school. This project will add new capabilities to a very productive synchrotron-based X-ray microdiffraction (mXRD) system to allow a new range of challenging materials science problems to be addressed. X-ray microdiffraction has been enabled at the sub-um scale in the last 5 years and the Advanced Light Source (ALS) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has made pioneering advances in this area. The mXRD technique at ALS has been successfully applied to determine strain and defect distributions at the microstructural level in numerous materials. This project will further improve and optimize the mXRD system at ALS by: (i) improving spatial resolution (below 100 nm); (ii) allowing real-time data analysis; (iii) introducing higher strain resolution (down to 10-5) and deeper penetration by extending the X-ray energy range; and (iv) permitting 3-D measurements. The new mXRD system will allow the first time study of important problems in materials science and engineering that include stress, structure and domain micromechanics studies in ferroelectrics; investigation of metal deformation at the nanoscale and deformation mechanisms in metallic glasses; study of phase and stress evolution in oxide films; constitutive behavior investigation of shape memory alloys; electromigration and stress studies in microelectronic devices. The upgrade is also expected to raise the productivity of the mXRD beamline significantly due to faster data acquisition and analysis. For education and outreach, this project will offer unique training opportunities to students at all levels between high school and graduate school.