TY - JOUR
T1 - X-ray birefringence imaging
AU - Palmer, Benjamin A.
AU - Edwards-Gau, Gregory R.
AU - Kariuki, Benson M.
AU - Harris, Kenneth D.M.
AU - Dolbnya, Igor P.
AU - Collins, Stephen P.
PY - 2014/1/1
Y1 - 2014/1/1
N2 - The polarizing optical microscope has been used since the 19th century to study the structural anisotropy of materials, based on the phenomenon of optical birefringence. In contrast, the phenomenon of x-ray birefringence has been demonstrated only recently and has been shown to be a sensitive probe of the orientational properties of individual molecules and/or bonds in anisotropic solids. Here, we report a technique - x-ray birefringence imaging (XBI) - that enables spatially resolved mapping of x-ray birefringence of materials, representing the x-ray analog of the polarizing optical microscope. Our results demonstrate the utility and potential of XBI as a sensitive technique for imaging the local orientational properties of anisotropic materials, including characterization of changes in molecular orientational ordering associated with solid-state phase transitions and identification of the size, spatial distribution, and temperature dependence of domain structures.
AB - The polarizing optical microscope has been used since the 19th century to study the structural anisotropy of materials, based on the phenomenon of optical birefringence. In contrast, the phenomenon of x-ray birefringence has been demonstrated only recently and has been shown to be a sensitive probe of the orientational properties of individual molecules and/or bonds in anisotropic solids. Here, we report a technique - x-ray birefringence imaging (XBI) - that enables spatially resolved mapping of x-ray birefringence of materials, representing the x-ray analog of the polarizing optical microscope. Our results demonstrate the utility and potential of XBI as a sensitive technique for imaging the local orientational properties of anisotropic materials, including characterization of changes in molecular orientational ordering associated with solid-state phase transitions and identification of the size, spatial distribution, and temperature dependence of domain structures.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84901630313&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1126/science.1253537
DO - 10.1126/science.1253537
M3 - Article
C2 - 24876494
AN - SCOPUS:84901630313
SN - 0036-8075
VL - 344
SP - 1013
EP - 1016
JO - Science
JF - Science
IS - 6187
ER -