In situ visualization of long-range defect interactions at the edge of melting

Direct detection system for full-field nanoscale X-ray diffraction-contrast imaging

Recent developments in X-ray science provide methods to probe deeply embedded mesoscale grain structures and spatially resolve them using dark field X-ray microscopy (DFXM). Extending this technique to investigate weak diffraction signals such as magnetic systems, quantum materials and thin films prove challenging due to available detection methods and incident X-ray flux at the sample. We present a direct detection method developed in conjunction with KAImaging which focuses on DFXM studies in the hard X-ray range of 10s of keV and above capable of approaching nanoscale resolution. Additionally, we compare this direct detection scheme with routinely used scintillator-based optical detection and achieve an order of magnitude improvement in exposure times allowing for imaging of weakly diffracting ordered systems.

Application of laboratory micro X-ray fluorescence devices for X-ray topography

It is demonstrated that high-resolution energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence mapping devices based on a micro-focused beam are not restricted to high-speed analyses of element distributions or to the detection of different grains, twins and subgrains in crystalline materials but can also be used for the detection of dislocations in high-quality single crystals. Si single crystals with low dislocation densities were selected as model materials to visualize the position of dis-locations by the spatially resolved measurement of Bragg-peak intensity fluctuations. These originate from the most distorted planes caused by the stress fields of dislocations. The results obtained by this approach are compared with laboratory-based Lang X-ray topographs. The presented methodology yields comparable results and it is of particular interest in the field of crystal growth, where fast chemical and microstructural characterization feedback loops are indispensable for short and efficient development times. The beam divergence was reduced via an aperture management system to facilitate the visualization of dislocations for virtually as-grown, non-polished and non-planar samples with a very pronounced surface profile.

Simulations of dislocation contrast in dark-field X-ray microscopy

Dark-field X-ray microscopy (DFXM) is a full-field imaging technique that non-destructively maps the structure and local strain inside deeply embedded crystalline elements in three dimensions. In DFXM, an objective lens is placed along the diffracted beam to generate a magnified projection image of the local diffracted volume. This work explores contrast methods and optimizes the DFXM setup specifically for the case of mapping dislocations. Forward projections of detector images are generated using two complementary simulation tools based on geometrical optics and wavefront propagation, respectively. Weak and strong beam contrast and the mapping of strain components are studied. The feasibility of observing dislocations in a wall is elucidated as a function of the distance between neighbouring dislocations and the spatial resolution. Dislocation studies should be feasible with energy band widths of 10-2, of relevance for fourth-generation synchrotron and X-ray free-electron laser sources.

Deformation mechanisms based on the multiscale molecular dynamics of a gradient TA1 titanium alloy

The heterogeneous gradient TA1 titanium alloy holds great potential for a wide range of industrial applications. Considering the influence of the gradient structure on the plastic deformation behavior of the material, the TA1 gradient polycrystalline model under uniaxial compression is established. The deformation behavior of TA1 gradient polycrystals under uniaxial compression is investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. The simulation shows that there is significant transmission during the plastic deformation of TA1 gradient polycrystals. The transmissibility of plastic deformation is specified by the alternating appearance of twinning and grain refinement. Besides, the uniaxial compression process is accompanied by active dislocation motions. Moreover, the movement of dislocations is a dynamic cyclic process. In the same uniaxial compression environment, the triggering of the plasticity mechanism in the gradient polycrystalline model is closely related to grain size. The smaller grain size crystals hardly produce plastic deformation. Grain boundary migration of medium grain size crystals dominates in plastic deformation. The proliferation of dislocations under compressive stress is the primary trigger mechanism in larger grain size crystals. In addition, the stress concentration phenomenon in regions with medium grain sizes is more significant than that in regions with larger and small grain sizes.

Simultaneous bright- and dark-field X-ray microscopy at X-ray free electron lasers

The structures, strain fields, and defect distributions in solid materials underlie the mechanical and physical properties across numerous applications. Many modern microstructural microscopy tools characterize crystal grains, domains and defects required to map lattice distortions or deformation, but are limited to studies of the (near) surface. Generally speaking, such tools cannot probe the structural dynamics in a way that is representative of bulk behavior. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction based imaging has long mapped the deeply embedded structural elements, and with enhanced resolution, dark field X-ray microscopy (DFXM) can now map those features with the requisite nm-resolution. However, these techniques still suffer from the required integration times due to limitations from the source and optics. This work extends DFXM to X-ray free electron lasers, showing how the [Formula: see text] photons per pulse available at these sources offer structural characterization down to 100 fs resolution (orders of magnitude faster than current synchrotron images). We introduce the XFEL DFXM setup with simultaneous bright field microscopy to probe density changes within the same volume. This work presents a comprehensive guide to the multi-modal ultrafast high-resolution X-ray microscope that we constructed and tested at two XFELs, and shows initial data demonstrating two timing strategies to study associated reversible or irreversible lattice dynamics.

Collective motion in hcp-Fe at Earth's inner core conditions

Earth's inner core is predominantly composed of solid iron (Fe) and displays intriguing properties such as strong shear softening and an ultrahigh Poisson's ratio. Insofar, physical mechanisms to explain these features coherently remain highly debated. Here, we have studied longitudinal and shear wave velocities of hcp-Fe (hexagonal close-packed iron) at relevant pressure-temperature conditions of the inner core using in situ shock experiments and machine learning molecular dynamics (MLMD) simulations. Our results demonstrate that the shear wave velocity of hcp-Fe along the Hugoniot in the premelting condition, defined as T/Tm (Tm: melting temperature of iron) above 0.96, is significantly reduced by ~30%, while Poisson's ratio jumps to approximately 0.44. MLMD simulations at 230 to 330 GPa indicate that collective motion with fast diffusive atomic migration occurs in premelting hcp-Fe primarily along [100] or [010] crystallographic direction, contributing to its elastic softening and enhanced Poisson's ratio. Our study reveals that hcp-Fe atoms can diffusively migrate to neighboring positions, forming open-loop and close-loop clusters in the inner core conditions. Hcp-Fe with collective motion at the inner core conditions is thus not an ideal solid previously believed. The premelting hcp-Fe with collective motion behaves like an extremely soft solid with an ultralow shear modulus and an ultrahigh Poisson's ratio that are consistent with seismic observations of the region. Our findings indicate that premelting hcp-Fe with fast diffusive motion represents the underlying physical mechanism to help explain the unique seismic and geodynamic features of the inner core.

Transonic dislocation propagation in diamond

The motion of line defects (dislocations) has been studied for more than 60 years, but the maximum speed at which they can move is unresolved. Recent models and atomistic simulations predict the existence of a limiting velocity of dislocation motion between the transonic and subsonic ranges at which the self-energy of dislocation diverges, though they do not deny the possibility of the transonic dislocations. We used femtosecond x-ray radiography to track ultrafast dislocation motion in shock-compressed single-crystal diamond. By visualizing stacking faults extending faster than the slowest sound wave speed of diamond, we show the evidence of partial dislocations at their leading edge moving transonically. Understanding the upper limit of dislocation mobility in crystals is essential to accurately model, predict, and control the mechanical properties of materials under extreme conditions.

Real-time imaging of acoustic waves in bulk materials with X-ray microscopy

The dynamics of lattice vibrations govern many material processes, such as acoustic wave propagation, displacive phase transitions, and ballistic thermal transport. The maximum velocity of these processes and their effects is determined by the speed of sound, which therefore defines the temporal resolution (picoseconds) needed to resolve these phenomena on their characteristic length scales (nanometers). Here, we present an X-ray microscope capable of imaging acoustic waves with subpicosecond resolution within mm-sized crystals. We directly visualize the generation, propagation, branching, and energy dissipation of longitudinal and transverse acoustic waves in diamond, demonstrating how mechanical energy thermalizes from picosecond to microsecond timescales. Bulk characterization techniques capable of resolving this level of structural detail have previously been available on millisecond time scales-orders of magnitude too slow to capture these fundamental phenomena in solid-state physics and geoscience. As such, the reported results provide broad insights into the interaction of acoustic waves with the structure of materials, and the availability of ultrafast time-resolved dark-field X-ray microscopy opens a vista of new opportunities for 3D imaging of materials dynamics on their intrinsic submicrosecond time scales.

Harnessing dislocation motion using an electric field

Dislocation motion, an important mechanism underlying crystal plasticity, is critical for the hardening, processing and application of a wide range of structural and functional materials. For decades, the movement of dislocations has been widely observed in crystalline solids under mechanical loading. However, the goal of manipulating dislocation motion via a non-mechanical field alone remains elusive. Here we present real-time observations of dislocation motion controlled solely by using an external electric field in single-crystalline zinc sulfide-the dislocations can move back and forth depending on the direction of the electric field. We reveal the non-stoichiometric nature of dislocation cores and determine their charge characteristics. Both negatively and positively charged dislocations are directly resolved, and their glide barriers decrease under an electric field, explaining the experimental observations. This study provides direct evidence of dislocation dynamics controlled by a non-mechanical stimulus and opens up the possibility of modulating dislocation-related properties.

Properties of Accelerating Edge Dislocations in Arbitrary Slip Systems with Reflection Symmetry

We discuss the theoretical solution to the differential equations governing accelerating edge dislocations in anisotropic crystals. This is an important prerequisite to understanding high-speed dislocation motion, including an open question about the existence of transonic dislocation speeds, and subsequently high-rate plastic deformation in metals and other crystals.

Simulating dark-field X-ray microscopy images with wavefront propagation techniques

The simulation of a dark-field X-ray microscopy experiment using wavefront propagation techniques and numerical integration of the Takagi–Taupin equations is shown. The approach is validated by comparing with measurements of a near-perfect diamond crystal containing a single stacking-fault defect.

Dark-field X-ray microscopy is a diffraction-based synchrotron imaging technique capable of imaging defects in the bulk of extended crystalline samples. Numerical simulations are presented of image formation in such a microscope using numerical integration of the dynamical Takagi–Taupin equations and wavefront propagation. The approach is validated by comparing simulated images with experimental data from a near-perfect single crystal of diamond containing a single stacking-fault defect in the illuminated volume.

X-ray free-electron laser based dark-field X-ray microscopy: a simulation-based study

Dark-field X-ray microscopy (DFXM) is a nondestructive full-field imaging technique providing three-dimensional mapping of microstructure and local strain fields in deeply embedded crystalline elements. This is achieved by placing an objective lens in the diffracted beam, giving a magnified projection image. So far, the method has been applied with a time resolution of milliseconds to hours. In this work, the feasibility of DFXM at the picosecond time scale using an X-ray free-electron laser source and a pump–probe scheme is considered. Thermomechanical strain-wave simulations are combined with geometrical optics and wavefront propagation optics to simulate DFXM images of phonon dynamics in a diamond single crystal. Using the specifications of the XCS instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source as an example results in simulated DFXM images clearly showing the propagation of a strain wave.

Geometrical-optics formalism to model contrast in dark-field X-ray microscopy

Dark-field X-ray microscopy, DFXM, is a new full-field imaging technique that non-destructively maps the structure and local strain inside deeply embedded crystalline elements in three dimensions. In DFXM an objective lens is placed along the diffracted beam to generate a magnified projection image of the local diffracted volume. In this work, a general formalism based on geometrical optics is provided for the diffraction imaging, valid for any crystallographic space group. This allows the simulation of DFXM images based on micro-mechanical models. Example simulations are presented with the formalism, demonstrating how this may be used to design new experiments or to interpret existing ones. In particular, it is shown how modifications to the experimental design may tailor the reciprocal-space resolution function to map specific components of the deformation-gradient tensor. The formalism supports multi-length-scale experiments, as it enables DFXM to be interfaced with 3D X-ray diffraction. To illustrate the use of the formalism, DFXM images are simulated from different contrast mechanisms on the basis of the strain field around a straight dislocation.