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.
Source: Journal of Synchrotron Radiation - Category: Physics Authors: Tags: multimodal imaging X-ray diffraction imaging scanning near-field optical microscopy structure – property correlations insulator metal transitions samarium sulfide scanning probe microscopy research papers Source Type: research