X-ray diffuse scattering as a probe for thin film and interface structure

The structure of thin films and interfaces can be probed by X-ray specular and off-specular (diffuse) scattering. As is well-known, the former yields the average density profile across the film or interface. Diffuse scattering as treated here is the analogue (for interfaces) of small-angle scattering from bulk materials, but with the ability to probe much larger length-scales. We shall discuss how the diffuse scattering yields information regarding the detailed morphology of the interface roughness, the conformality of the roughness between successive interfaces, the morphology of the erosion or pit-structure shall illustrate with results on several systems studied using synchrotron radiation at the National Synchrotron Light Source.