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At least 19 records

Thermal x-ray diffraction and near-field phase contrast imaging

Using higher-order coherence of thermal light sources, the resolution power of standard x-ray imaging techniques can be enhanced. Here in this work, we applied the higher-order measurement to far-field x-ray diffraction and near-field phase contrast imaging (PCI), in order to achieve superresolution in x-ray diffraction and obtain enhanced intensity contrast in PCI. The cost of implementing such schemes is minimal compared to the methods that achieve similar effects by using entangled x-ray photon pairs.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

(U) Estimating the Photonics Budget, Resolution, and Signal Requirements for a Multi-Monochromatic X-ray Imager

This document examines the performance of a generic flat-mirror multimonochromatic imager (MMI), with special emphasis on existing instruments at NIF and Omega. We begin by deriving the standard equation for the mean number of photons detected per resolution element. The pinhole energy bandwidth is a contributing factor; this is dominated by the finite size of the source and may be considerable. The most common method for estimating the spatial resolution of such a system (quadrature addition) is, technically, mathematically invalid for this case. However, under the proper circumstances it may produce good estimates compared to a rigorous calculation based on the convolution of point-spread functions. Diffraction is an important contribution to the spatial resolution. Common approximations based on Fraunhofer (farfield) diffraction may be inappropriate and misleading, as the instrument may reside in multiple regimes depending upon its configuration or the energy of interest. It is crucial to identify the correct diffraction regime; Fraunhofer and Fresnel (near-field) diffraction profiles are substantially different, the latter being considerably wider. Finally, we combine the photonics and resolution analyses to derive an expression for the minimum signal level such that the resulting images are not dominated by photon statistics. This analysis is consistent with observed performance of the NIF MMI.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Crystal Plasticity Model Validation Using Combined High-Energy Diffraction Microscopy Data for a Ti-7Al Specimen

High-Energy Diffraction Microscopy (HEDM) is a 3-d x-ray characterization method that is uniquely suited to measuring the evolving micromechanical state and microstructure of polycrystalline materials during in situ processing. The near-field and far-field configurations provide complementary information; orientation maps computed from the near-field measurements provide grain morphologies, while the high angular resolution of the far-field measurements provide intergranular strain tensors. The ability to measure these data during deformation in situ makes HEDM an ideal tool for validating micro-mechanical deformation models that make their predictions at the scale of individual grains. Crystal Plasticity Finite Element Models (CPFEM) are one such class of micro-mechanical models. While there have been extensive studies validating homogenized CPFEM response at a macroscopic level, a lack of detailed data measured at the level of the microstructure has hindered more stringent model validation efforts. Here, we utilize an HEDM dataset from an alphatitanium alloy (Ti-7Al), collected at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, under in situ tensile deformation. The initial microstructure of the central slab of the gage section, measured via near-field HEDM, is used to inform a CPFEM model. The predicted intergranular stresses for 39 internal grains are then directly compared to data from 4 far-field measurements taken between ~4% and ~80% of the macroscopic yield strength. In conclusion, the intergranular stresses from the CPFEM model and far-field HEDM measurements up to incipient yield are shown to be in good agreement, and implications for application of such an integrated computational/experimental approach to phenomena such as fatigue and crack propagation is discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Subdiffraction field localisation in the scattering of femtosecond laser radiation by a dielectric microsphere

The time dynamics of the optical field was theoretically considered in the near-field diffraction zone in the scattering of a femtosecond laser pulse by a transparent spherical microparticle. The spatial region of field focusing by the particle (the 'photonic jet' zone) was investigated; the evolution of the jet shape and the peak intensity in this region were analysed. For the first time it was determined that an extremely tight optical field localisation to a subdiffraction size is possible at a certain (resonance) temporal stage of photonic jet development. (radiation scattering)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

High-contrast imaging with an arbitrary aperture: Active compensation of aperture discontinuities

We present a new method to achieve high-contrast images using segmented and/or on-axis telescopes. Our approach relies on using two sequential deformable mirrors (DMs) to compensate for the large amplitude excursions in the telescope aperture due to secondary support structures and/or segment gaps. In this configuration the parameter landscape of DM surfaces that yield high-contrast point-spread functions is not linear, and nonlinear methods are needed to find the true minimum in the optimization topology. We solve the highly nonlinear Monge-Ampere equation that is the fundamental equation describing the physics of phase-induced amplitude modulation. We determine the optimum configuration for our two sequential DM system and show that high-throughput and high-contrast solutions can be achieved using realistic surface deformations that are accessible using existing technologies. We name this process Active Compensation of Aperture Discontinuities (ACAD). We show that for geometries similar to the James Webb Space Telescope, ACAD can attain at least 10{sup –7} in contrast and an order of magnitude higher for both the future extremely large telescopes and on-axis architectures reminiscent of the Hubble Space Telescope. We show that the converging nonlinear mappings resulting from our DM shapes actually damp near-field diffraction artifacts in the vicinity of the discontinuities. Thus, ACAD actually lowers the chromatic ringing due to diffraction by segment gaps and struts while not amplifying the diffraction at the aperture edges beyond the Fresnel regime. This outer Fresnel ringing can be mitigated by properly designing the optical system. Consequently, ACAD is a true broadband solution to the problem of high-contrast imaging with segmented and/or on-axis apertures. We finally show that once the nonlinear solution is found, fine tuning with linear methods used in wavefront control can be applied to further contrast by another order of magnitude. Generally speaking, the ACAD technique can be used to significantly improve a broad class of telescope designs for a variety of problems.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Simultaneous scanning near-field optical and X-ray diffraction microscopy for correlative nanoscale structure-property characterization

A multimodal imaging instrument has been developed that integrates scanning near-field optical microscopy with nanofocused synchrotron X-ray diffraction imaging. The instrument allows for the simultaneous nanoscale characterization of electronic/near-field optical properties of materials together with their crystallographic structure, facilitating the investigation of local structure–property relationships. The design, implementation and operating procedures of this instrument are reported. The scientific capabilities are demonstrated in a proof-of-principle study of the insulator–metal phase transition in samarium sulfide (SmS) single crystals induced by applying mechanical pressure via a scanning tip. The multimodal imaging of an in situ tip-written region shows that the near-field optical reflectivity can be correlated with the heterogeneously transformed structure of the near-surface region of the crystal.

insulator–metal transitions↗

Combined near- and far-field high-energy diffraction microscopy dataset for Ti-7Al tensile specimen elastically loaded in situ

High-energy diffraction microscopy (HEDM) constitutes a suite of combined X-ray characterization methods, which hold the unique advantage of illuminating the microstructure and micromechanical state of a material during concurrent in situ mechanical deformation. The data generated from HEDM experiments provides a heretofore unrealized opportunity to validate meso-scale modeling techniques, such as crystal plasticity finite element modeling (CPFEM), by explicitly testing the accuracy of these models at the length scales where the models predict their response. Combining HEDM methods with in situ loading under known and controlled boundary conditions represents a significant challenge, inspiring the recent development of a new high-precision rotation and axial motion system for simultaneously rotating and axially loading a sample. In this paper, we describe the initial HEDM dataset collected using this hardware on an alpha-titanium alloy (Ti-7Al) under in situ tensile deformation at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. We present both near-field HEDM data that maps out the grain morphology and intragranular crystallographic orientations and far-field HEDM data that provides the grain centroid, grain average crystallographic orientation, and grain average elastic strain tensor for each grain. Finally, we provide a finite element mesh that can be utilized to simulate deformation in the volume of this Ti-7Al specimen.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Spatiotemporal imaging of plasmonic fields near nanoparticles below the diffraction limit

Optically induced collective conduction-electron oscillations can generate intense plasmonic fields near metallic nanoparticles. Here, we suggest a method for reconstructing such nanoplasmonic fields with nanometer spatial and sub-femtosecond temporal resolution from streaked photoemission spectra. Applying this imaging scheme to Au nanospheres, we demonstrate the accurate spatiotemporal reconstruction of the plasmonic near-field distribution in comparison with the directly calculated plasmonic field.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Combined Near and Far Field High Energy Diffraction Microscopy Dataset for Ti-7Al Tensile Specimen Elastically Loaded In Situ

We present both near-field HEDM data that maps out the grain morphology and intragranular crystallographic orientations and far-field HEDM data that provides the grain centroid, grain average crystallographic orientation, and grain average elastic strain tensor for each grain. Finally, we provide a finite element mesh that can be utilized to simulate deformation in the volume of this Ti-7Al specimen.

Turner, Todd J.↗

An algorithm for resolving intragranular orientation fields using coupled far-field and near-field high energy $\mathrm{X}$-ray diffraction microscopy

Here, we present a novel algorithm for reconstructing spatial intragranular lattice orientation fields using both far-field and near-field high energy X-ray diffraction microscopy (HEDM) measurements. An established far-field indexing algorithm is modified to include lattice orientation distribution information (grain orientation envelopes) in addition to average grain orientations. The near-field data reduction algorithm utilizes this enriched far-field orientation data as a seed for reconstructing intragranular spatial maps of lattice orientation from the diffraction images. The primary benefit of the new algorithm is a significant decrease in the number of trial calculations that must be performed in the reconstruction process compared to existing methodologies while maintaining scalability. The resulting gains in efficiency facilitate the use of relatively modest computational resources and improve throughput at the point of measurement. We provide two example applications: volumetric orientation field reconstructions for a Ti-Al alloy both before and after the application of 3% uniaxial strain. The results showcase the efficiency of the new method and the ability to resolve subtle changes in microstructure, which are associated with incipient plastic deformation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Three-dimensional plastic response in polycrystalline copper via near-field high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy

The evolution of the crystallographic orientation field in a polycrystalline sample of copper is mapped in three dimensions as tensile strain is applied. Here, using forward-modeling analysis of high-energy X-ray diffraction microscopy data collected at the Advanced Photon Source, the ability to track intragranular orientation variations is demonstrated on an ~2 µm length scale with ~0.1° orientation precision. Lattice rotations within grains are tracked between states with ~1° precision. Detailed analysis is presented for a sample cross section before and after ~6% strain. The voxel-based (0.625 µm triangular mesh) reconstructed structure is used to calculate kernel-averaged misorientation maps, which exhibit complex patterns. Simulated scattering from the reconstructed orientation field is shown to reproduce complex scattering patterns generated by the defected microstructure. Spatial variation of a goodness-of-fit or confidence metric associated with the optimized orientation field indicates regions of relatively high or low orientational disorder. An alignment procedure is used to match sample cross sections in the different strain states. The data and analysis methods point toward the ability to perform detailed comparisons between polycrystal plasticity computational model predictions and experimental observations of macroscopic volumes of material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Near-field focusing of an optical wave by diffraction gratings

We report the investigation results for spatially-localised light structures (photonic nanojets) under near-field optical radiation scattering on phase diffraction gratings. Main parameters of photonic nanojets from gratings with sawtooth, rectangular and hemispherical groove profiles are obtained by numerical electrodynamic simulation. It is found that by varying a period, degree of filling, groove shape and parameters of optically contrast coating of the diffraction grating one can control the characteristics of the produced photonic jets in a wide range. (laser beams)

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Fresnel diffraction of spin waves

Here, the propagation of magnetostatic forward volume waves excited by a constricted coplanar waveguide is studied via inductive spectroscopy techniques. A series of devices consisting of pairs of submicrometer size antennae is used to perform a discrete mapping of the spin wave amplitude in the plane of a 30-nm thin YIG film. We found that the spin wave propagation remains well focused in a beam shape of width comparable to the constriction length and that the amplitude within the constriction displays oscillations, two features which are explained in terms of near-field Fresnel diffraction theory.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Protein immobilization and detection on laser processed polystyrene surfaces

The bovine serum albumin (BSA)-polystyrene (PS) interface layer is laser photo activated at 157 nm for site selective multiple target-protein immobilization. The 5-15 nm photon induced interface layer has different chemical, wetting, and stiffness properties than the PS photon processed surface. The irradiated areas exhibit target-protein binding, followed by localized probe-target protein detection. The photon induced chemical modification of the BSA-PS interface layer is identified by: (1) Morphological, imaging, and analysis of surface parameters with atomic force microscopy, (2) spectroscopic shift (4 cm{sup -1}), of the amide I group and formation of new C=N, NH{sub 2}, C-O, C=O, and O-C=O groups following irradiation, identified with attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and (3) the different hydrophilic/hydrophobic and force-distance response of the bare PS and BSA-PS surfaces. Near field edge diffraction (Fresnel) fluorescence imaging specifies the threshold photon energy and the fluence required to optically detect the protein binding on the photon induced BSA-PS interface layer. By approximating the Fresnel integrals with analytical functions, the threshold photon energy and the fluence are expressed as the sum of zero, first, and second order harmonic terms of two characteristic diffracted modes and they are specified to be 8.73x10{sup -9} Jand623 J m{sup -2}, respectively. Furthermore, a bioarray of three probe-target proteins is fabricated with 1.5 {mu}m spatial resolution using a 157 nm laser microstepper. The methodology eliminates the use of intermediate polymer layers between the blocking BSA protein and the PS substrate in bioarray fabrication.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

The Feasibility of Near-field ODR Beam-size Monitoring at 23 GeV at FACET

Extension of near-field optical diffraction radiation (ODR) imaging to the 23 GeV beams at the proposed FACET facility at SLAC has been evaluated. The beam-size sensitivity at the 10- to 20-{micro}m sigma level based on a simple model will be reported. Polarization effects are also seen to be important and will be discussed. The comparisons to previous experimental results and the modeling results indicate sufficient feasibility for planning of the experiments in the coming year.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗