Development of an apparatus for Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging, and its application to the three dimensional imaging of BaTiO3 nano-crystals

Abstract

We report the development of an apparatus for Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (Bragg-CDI) at BL22XU of SPring-8, and show some typical results of the three dimensional imaging of BaTiO3 fine particles obtained using the apparatus. We studied two types of sample-particles with cubic-like shapes, and particles rich in curved surfaces. The shapes and sizes of the particles were successfully reconstructed, and are approximately consistent with results from scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements. Further, details of the internal structure and reverse surface of the particles was obtained, information which is not available from SEM measurements. Our technique can currently be used to study particles as small as around 100 nm in size. Bragg-CDI is a powerful technique for investigating nanosized crystalline particles, and will open the door to studying particles located within devices such as multi-layered ceramic capacitors, inaccessible by electron beam techniques.