Materials science: in-situ, in-operando, time-resolved

The development of new materials is today closely related to the “creation” of new functional nano structures. Structural investigations are the key to establish a connection between the functional and structural properties generating these functions. This knowledge makes it possible to design new materials with precisely predetermined properties. The function of nano structures is not only determined by their internal structure, but in large part by their morphology and surface properties.

Time-resolved in-situ or/and in-operando X-ray experiments open a very direct, natural way to study the formation and transformation of materials during the relevant technological processes. The talk will build a bridge from classical material science problems, like the formation of 3-dimensional Germanium nano crystal arrays embedded in a dielectric matrix using synchrotron radiation, or the crystallization process during a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) of an amorphous GeSn thin film using a laboratory setup, to experiments exploiting a µsec-time resolution and even behind that.

For example, material processing by laser beams is a widely used technology in industry. Many applications, like the fabrication of thin solar cells, require a large area processing in short times with a limited heat exposure. Therefore time resolved studies of laser driven processes are again of great scientific interest. If thousand of frames are needed to follow the materials evolution on an atomic level the regular bunch structure of a synchrotron source turns out to be an ideal probe to sense changes in the morphology and crystal structure during and after a laser-sample(target) interaction.