Soft X-ray spectro-ptychography of boron nitride nanobamboos, carbon nanotubes and permalloy nanorods.

Spectro-ptychography offers improved spatial resolution and additional phase spectral information relative to that provided by scanning transmission X-ray microscopes. However, carrying out ptychography at the lower range of soft X-ray energies (e.g. below 200 eV to 600 eV) on samples with weakly scattering signals can be challenging. Here, results of soft X-ray spectro-ptychography at energies as low as 180 eV are presented, and its capabilities are illustrated with results from permalloy nanorods (Fe 2p), carbon nanotubes (C 1s) and boron nitride bamboo nanostructures (B 1s, N 1s). The optimization of low-energy X-ray spectro-ptychography is described and important challenges associated with measurement approaches, reconstruction algorithms and their effects on the reconstructed images are discussed. A method for evaluating the increase in radiation dose when using overlapping sampling is presented.

Backside-illuminated scientific CMOS detector for soft X-ray resonant scattering and ptychography.

The impressive progress in the performance of synchrotron radiation sources is nowadays driven by the so-called `ultimate storage ring' projects which promise an unprecedented improvement in brightness. Progress on the detector side has not always been at the same pace, especially as far as soft X-ray 2D detectors are concerned. While the most commonly used detectors are still based on microchannel plates or CCD technology, recent developments of CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor)-type detectors will play an ever more important role as 2D detectors in the soft X-ray range. This paper describes the capabilities and performance of a camera equipped with a newly commercialized backside-illuminated scientific CMOS (sCMOS-BSI) sensor, integrated in a vacuum environment, for soft X-ray experiments at synchrotron sources. The 4 Mpixel sensor reaches a frame rate of up to 48 frames s-1 while matching the requirements for X-ray experiments in terms of high-intensity linearity (>98%), good spatial homogeneity (<1%), high charge capacity (up to 80 ke-), and low readout noise (down to 2 e- r.m.s.) and dark current (3 e- per second per pixel). Performance evaluations in the soft X-ray range have been carried out at the METROLOGIE beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron. The quantum efficiency, spatial resolution (24 line-pairs mm-1), energy resolution (<100 eV) and radiation damage versus the X-ray dose (<600 Gy) have been measured in the energy range from 40 to 2000 eV. In order to illustrate the capabilities of this new sCMOS-BSI sensor, several experiments have been performed at the SEXTANTS and HERMES soft X-ray beamlines of the SOLEIL synchrotron: acquisition of a coherent diffraction pattern from a pinhole at 186 eV, a scattering experiment from a nanostructured Co/Cu multilayer at 767 eV and ptychographic imaging in transmission at 706 eV.

Computational logic with square rings of nanomagnets.

Nanomagnets are a promising low-power alternative to traditional computing. However, the successful implementation of nanomagnets in logic gates has been hindered so far by a lack of reliability. Here, we present a novel design with dipolar-coupled nanomagnets arranged on a square lattice to (i) support transfer of information and (ii) perform logic operations. We introduce a thermal protocol, using thermally active nanomagnets as a means to perform computation. Within this scheme, the nanomagnets are initialized by a global magnetic field and thermally relax on raising the temperature with a resistive heater. We demonstrate error-free transfer of information in chains of up to 19 square rings and we show a high level of reliability with successful gate operations of ∼94% across more than 2000 logic gates. Finally, we present a functionally complete prototype NAND/NOR logic gate that could be implemented for advanced logic operations. Here we support our experiments with simulations of the thermally averaged output and determine the optimal gate parameters. Our approach provides a new pathway to a long standing problem concerning reliability in the use of nanomagnets for computation.

Characterization of Pharmaceutical Tablets by X-ray Tomography.

Solid dosage forms such as tablets are extensively used in drug administration for their simplicity and large-scale manufacturing capabilities. High-resolution X-ray tomography is one of the most valuable non-destructive techniques to investigate the internal structure of the tablets for drug product development as well as for a cost effective production process. In this work, we review the recent developments in high-resolution X-ray microtomography and its application towards different tablet characterizations. The increased availability of powerful laboratory instrumentation, as well as the advent of high brilliance and coherent 3rd generation synchrotron light sources, combined with advanced data processing techniques, are driving the application of X-ray microtomography forward as an indispensable tool in the pharmaceutical industry.

Absence of a pressure gap and atomistic mechanism of the oxidation of pure Co nanoparticles.

Understanding chemical reactivity and magnetism of 3d transition metal nanoparticles is of fundamental interest for applications in fields ranging from spintronics to catalysis. Here, we present an atomistic picture of the early stage of the oxidation mechanism and its impact on the magnetism of Co nanoparticles. Our experiments reveal a two-step process characterized by (i) the initial formation of small CoO crystallites across the nanoparticle surface, until their coalescence leads to structural completion of the oxide shell passivating the metallic core; (ii) progressive conversion of the CoO shell to Co3O4 and void formation due to the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. The Co nanoparticles remain highly reactive toward oxygen during phase (i), demonstrating the absence of a pressure gap whereby a low reactivity at low pressures is postulated. Our results provide an important benchmark for the development of theoretical models for the chemical reactivity in catalysis and magnetism during metal oxidation at the nanoscale.

High frequency characterization of Si 3 N 4 dielectrics for artificial magnetoelectric devices.

Charge mediated magnetoelectric coupling mechanism in artificial multiferroics originates from interfacial charge modulation or ionic movement at a magnetic/dielectric interface. Despite the existence of several dielectric/ferroelectric systems that can be used in charge mediated artificial multiferroic systems, producing suitable systems with fast time responses still remains a challenge. Here we characterize the frequency response of stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric (low strain) Si 3 N 4 thin film membranes, which can potentially be used as the dielectric layer in magnetoelectric devices, to determine the impact of depletion layers, charge traps and defect mobility on the high frequency (up to 100 MHz) interfacial charge modulation via screening. We find that the dielectric/magnetoelectric properties are largely dominated by extrinsic doping due to point defects. In particular, we find that non-stoichiometric Si 3 N 4 has a dielectric behaviour that is dominated by charge traps and/or mobile ions. However, stoichiometric Si 3 N 4 membranes show a reversible response to the applied bias electric field consistent with a doped semiconductor behaviour; at high frequencies, the intrinsic dielectric behaviour is reached, indicating that it may be suitable for high frequency magnetoelectric device applications. Our results show that minimising the impact of defects on the dielectric properties of magnetoelectric heterostructures is an important prerequisite for obtaining a high frequency magnetoelectric response. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10853-022-07832-2.

Chirally coupled nanomagnets.

Magnetically coupled nanomagnets have multiple applications in nonvolatile memories, logic gates, and sensors. The most effective couplings have been found to occur between the magnetic layers in a vertical stack. We achieved strong coupling of laterally adjacent nanomagnets using the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. This coupling is mediated by chiral domain walls between out-of-plane and in-plane magnetic regions and dominates the behavior of nanomagnets below a critical size. We used this concept to realize lateral exchange bias, field-free current-induced switching between multistate magnetic configurations as well as synthetic antiferromagnets, skyrmions, and artificial spin ices covering a broad range of length scales and topologies. Our work provides a platform to design arrays of correlated nanomagnets and to achieve all-electric control of planar logic gates and memory devices.

Resistive Switching in All-Oxide Ferroelectric Tunnel Junctions with Ionic Interfaces.

Universal, giant and nonvolatile resistive switching is demonstrated for oxide tunnel junctions with ferroelectric PbZr0.2 Ti0.8 O3 , ferroelectric BaTiO3, and paraelectric SrTiO3 tunnel barriers. The effects are caused by reversible migration of oxygen vacancies between the tunnel barrier and bottom La2/3 Sr1/3 MnO3 electrode. The switching process, which is driven by large electric fields, is efficient down to a temperature of 5 K.