Enabling microfocus & thin film X-ray scattering at the University of Southampton
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Sch of Chemistry
Abstract
X-ray diffraction is the main technique by which scientists and engineers study the structures of crystalline materials, however some sample types are often neglected due to the requirement for specialised instrumentation and expertise. This proposal provides advanced equipment to apply diffraction and related methods to a series of lesser-studied sample types of great importance in technology and in understanding environmental processes. These include thin layers of material on surfaces, where information about atomic separations, particle sizes, crystal orientation and changes in the size of the lattice due to interactions with the underlying material can be obtained. This will be critical to the understanding of a range of functional materials with applications in energy conversion and storage, electronics, optoelectronics and engineering. It will also be possible to study very small regions of a material, this is important in examination of single components or regions of a sample where variations are important in understanding properties. Sample types include minerals, where the structure of individual grains will contribute to knowledge of interactions with the environment, and single components of grids of material designed to have specific interactions with light.
Planned Impact
Our strategy is formulated around the specific aim of embedding advanced X-ray scattering experiments into a series of world-leading research projects across several disciplines and academic units at the University of Southampton. This aim will be achieved not just by providing the equipment, but also by educating a broad research community about the types of information that can be obtained from X-ray diffraction and reflectivity and how to perform these experiments and analyse data. The equipment will be managed in the first year of operation in a manner designed to maximise opportunities for a large number of researchers to try out experiments with high level support for data colection and analysis. A series of measures have also been designed to ensure that this impact is sustained, including a network of high level users and incentive systems for groups to maintain expertise.
The key user groups are at the forefront of research in new materials deposition, energy conversion and storage, electronics, optoelectronics, engineering materials, oceanography and environmental science. The main impacts felt outside the University will be in enhanced quality outputs from a large number of research projects in these areas. After the initial year of operation, however, it may also be possible to make some time available for selected users from outside the University of Southampton to use the equipment. This would then similarly impact the work of these academic and/or industrial users.
We strongly believe that this proposal will enhance the research quality of many groups and fulfil a critical role in a number of key University and national strategic research themes. In so doing it will provide added value to areas of recent and future investment.
The key user groups are at the forefront of research in new materials deposition, energy conversion and storage, electronics, optoelectronics, engineering materials, oceanography and environmental science. The main impacts felt outside the University will be in enhanced quality outputs from a large number of research projects in these areas. After the initial year of operation, however, it may also be possible to make some time available for selected users from outside the University of Southampton to use the equipment. This would then similarly impact the work of these academic and/or industrial users.
We strongly believe that this proposal will enhance the research quality of many groups and fulfil a critical role in a number of key University and national strategic research themes. In so doing it will provide added value to areas of recent and future investment.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Andrew Hector (Principal Investigator) | |
Mark Light (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Al-Arjan W
(2016)
Sol-gel preparation of well-adhered films and long range ordered inverse opal films of BaTiO3 and Bi2Ti2O7
in Materials Research Bulletin
Al-Arjan W
(2016)
Speciation in diethanolamine-moderated TiO2 precursor sols and their use in film formation
in Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology
Aspiotis N
(2023)
Large-area synthesis of high electrical performance MoS2 by a commercially scalable atomic layer deposition process
in npj 2D Materials and Applications
Bartlett P
(2016)
Haloplumbate salts as reagents for the non-aqueous electrodeposition of lead
in RSC Advances
Bartlett P
(2017)
Supercritical fluid electrodeposition, structural and electrical characterisation of tellurium nanowires
in RSC Advances
Bartlett P
(2015)
Non-aqueous electrodeposition of functional semiconducting metal chalcogenides: Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 phase change memory
in Materials Horizons
Bartlett PN
(2016)
A Versatile Precursor System for Supercritical Fluid Electrodeposition of Main-Group Materials.
in Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Beecher SJ
(2014)
Diode-end-pumped 1.2 W Yb:Y2O3 planar waveguide laser.
in Optics express
Benjamin S
(2015)
Chemical vapour deposition of antimony chalcogenides with positional and orientational control: precursor design and substrate selectivity
in Journal of Materials Chemistry C
Benjamin S
(2018)
Compositionally tunable ternary Bi 2 (Se 1-x Te x ) 3 and (Bi 1-y Sb y ) 2 Te 3 thin films via low pressure chemical vapour deposition
in Journal of Materials Chemistry C
Benjamin S
(2014)
Controlling the nanostructure of bismuth telluride by selective chemical vapour deposition from a single source precursor
in Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Benjamin SL
(2014)
Niobium(V) and tantalum(V) halide chalcogenoether complexes--towards single source CVD precursors for ME2 thin films.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Black A
(2023)
Temperature effects on the electrodeposition of semiconductors from a weakly coordinating solvent
in Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry
Burton M
(2017)
A novel route to nanostructured bismuth telluride films by electrodeposition
in Electrochemistry Communications
Callisti M
(2015)
Microstructural evolution of nanometric Ti(NiCu)2 precipitates in annealed Ni-Ti-Cu thin films
in Vacuum
Callisti M
(2017)
Combined size and texture-dependent deformation and strengthening mechanisms in Zr/Nb nano-multilayers
in Acta Materialia
Callisti M
(2014)
The role of Ni-Ti-(Cu) interlayers on the mechanical properties and nano-scratch behaviour of solid lubricant W-S-C coatings
in Surface and Coatings Technology
Callisti M
(2018)
Competing mechanisms on the strength of ion-irradiated Zr/Nb nanoscale multilayers: Interface strength versus radiation hardening
in Scripta Materialia
Callisti M
(2016)
Structural and mechanical properties of ?-irradiated Zr/Nb multilayer nanocomposites
in Materials Letters
Callisti M
(2016)
Bubbles formation in helium ion irradiated Cu/W multilayer nanocomposites: Effects on structure and mechanical properties
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Callisti M
(2018)
In situ TEM observations on the structural evolution of a nanocrystalline W-Ti alloy at elevated temperatures
in Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Chang YP
(2018)
Synthesis and properties of MoCl4 complexes with thio- and seleno-ethers and their use for chemical vapour deposition of MoSe2 and MoS2 films.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Chang YP
(2017)
Chalcogenoether complexes of Nb(v) thio- and seleno-halides as single source precursors for low pressure chemical vapour deposition of NbS2 and NbSe2 thin films.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Cheng H
(2019)
Synthesis of Hard Carbon-TiN/TiC Composites by Reacting Cellulose with TiCl4 Followed by Carbothermal Nitridation/Reduction.
in Inorganic chemistry
Description | The grant was used to support the development of a diffractometer funded through an EPSRC strategic equipment award. The instrument is now heavily used by research groups from three different faculties and also for some commercial work. This part of the funding supported consumables and other minor items during the start up period when users were initially being trained. |
Exploitation Route | n/a |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Chemicals,Electronics,Energy,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | In addition to the academic results, a small number of companies have begun to use the facility. This has largely been linked to the thin film capability. |
First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Electronics,Energy,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | EPSRC Programme Grant |
Amount | £6,331,952 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/N035437/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2016 |
End | 07/2021 |