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At least 163 records · Page 9

Developing time-resolved x-ray diffraction diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility (invited)

As part of a program to measure phase transition timescales in materials under dynamic compression, we have designed new x-ray imaging diagnostics to record multiple x-ray diffraction measurements during a single laser-driven experiment. Our design places several ns-gated hybrid CMOS (hCMOS) sensors within a few cm of a laser-driven target. The sensors must be protected from an extremely harsh environment, including debris, electromagnetic pulses, and unconverted laser light. Another key challenge is reducing the x-ray background relative to the faint diffraction signal. Building on the success of our predecessor (Target Diffraction In Situ), we implemented a staged approach to platform development. First, we built a demonstration diagnostic (Gated Diffraction Development Diagnostic) with two hCMOS sensors to confirm we could adequately protect them from the harsh environment and also acquire acceptable diffraction data. This allowed the team to quickly assess the risks and address the most significant challenges. Here, we also collected scientifically useful data during development. Leveraging what we learned, we recently developed a much more ambitious instrument (Flexible Imaging Diffraction Diagnostic for Laser Experiments) that can field up to eight hCMOS sensors in a flexible geometry and participate in back-to-back shots at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The design also allows for future iterations, such as faster hCMOS sensors and an embedded x-ray streak camera. The enhanced capabilities of the new instrument required a much more complex design, and the unexpected issues encountered on the first few shots at NIF remind us that complexity has consequences. Our progress in addressing these challenges is described herein, as is our current focus on improving data quality by reducing x-ray background and quantifying the uncertainties of our diffraction measurements.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Measurement of single-diffractive dijet production in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 8 TeV with the CMS and TOTEM experiments

Measurements are presented of the single-diffractive dijet cross section and the diffractive cross section as a function of the proton fractional momentum loss $\xi $ and the four-momentum transfer squared t. Both processes ${\text{ p }{}{}} {\text{ p }{}{}} \rightarrow {\text{ p }{}{}} {\text{ X }} $ and ${\text{ p }{}{}} {\text{ p }{}{}} \rightarrow {\text{ X }} {\text{ p }{}{}} $, i.e. with the proton scattering to either side of the interaction point, are measured, where ${\text{ X }} $ includes at least two jets; the results of the two processes are averaged. The analyses are based on data collected simultaneously with the CMS and TOTEM detectors at the LHC in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 8\,\text {Te}\text {V} $ during a dedicated run with $\beta ^{*} = 90\,\text {m} $ at low instantaneous luminosity and correspond to an integrated luminosity of $37.5{\,\text {nb}^{-1}} $. The single-diffractive dijet cross section $\sigma ^{{\text{ p }{}{}} {\text{ X }}}_{\mathrm {jj}}$, in the kinematic region $\xi < 0.1$, $0.03< |t | < 1\,\text {Ge}\text {V} ^2$, with at least two jets with transverse momentum $p_{\mathrm {T}} > 40\,\text {Ge}\text {V} $, and pseudorapidity $|\eta | < 4.4$, is $21.7 \pm 0.9\,\text {(stat)} \,^{+3.0}_{-3.3}\,\text {(syst)} \pm 0.9\,\text {(lumi)} \,\text {nb} $. The ratio of the single-diffractive to inclusive dijet yields, normalised per unit of $\xi $, is presented as a function of x, the longitudinal momentum fraction of the proton carried by the struck parton. The ratio in the kinematic region defined above, for x values in the range $-2.9 \le \log _{10} x \le -1.6$, is $R = (\sigma ^{{\text{ p }{}{}} {\text{ X }}}_{\mathrm {jj}}/\Delta \xi )/\sigma _{\mathrm {jj}} = 0.025 \pm 0.001\,\text {(stat)} \pm 0.003\,\text {(syst)} $, where $\sigma ^{{\text{ p }{}{}} {\text{ X }}}_{\mathrm {jj}}$ and $\sigma _{\mathrm {jj}}$ are the single-diffractive and inclusive dijet cross sections, respectively. The results are compared with predictions from models of diffractive and nondiffractive interactions. Monte Carlo predictions based on the HERA diffractive parton distribution functions agree well with the data when corrected for the effect of soft rescattering between the spectator partons.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Highly Extensible X-ray Diffraction Toolkit

This code has been previous released as open source under LLNL-CODE-529294. The HEXRD program comprises a library of X-ray diffraction analysis tools and a stand-alone GUI application. While there are many software packages that provide similar capabilities, HEXRD was designed to provide an extremely flexible and extensible basis for describing a broad array of X-ray diffraction instruments; this includes both mono- and poly-chromatic modalities as well as poly- and single-crystal samples. The high-level objects include Material: an abstraction for defining crystalline materials, including unit cell parameters and anisotropic elastic moduli Imageseries: an interface for series of diffraction images containing one or more frames, including provisions for metadata. Instrument: an abstraction of an X-ray diffraction instrument including support for the definition of multiple detector elements as well as powder, Laue, and mono-chromatic single/multi-grain diffraction analysis modalities (including attendant calibration routines). The hexrdgui package is a standalone PySide2/Qt5 GUI built on top of hexrd. The 0.8.1 release includes various bug fixes as well as some new functionality in the GUI, including: o Enhancements to the import tools for LLNL diffraction instruemtns (PXRDIP and TARDIS) o The ability to save 1-d LeBail fits of integrated diffraction spectra.

Barton, NathanR.↗

Multispectral Quantitative Phase Imaging Using a Diffractive Optical Network

As a label‐free imaging technique, quantitative phase imaging (QPI) provides optical path length information of transparent specimens for various applications in biology, materials science, and engineering. Multispectral QPI measures quantitative phase information across multiple spectral bands, permitting the examination of wavelength‐specific phase and dispersion characteristics of samples. Herein, the design of a diffractive processor is presented that can all‐optically perform multispectral quantitative phase imaging of transparent phase‐only objects within a snapshot. The design utilizes spatially engineered diffractive layers, optimized through deep learning, to encode the phase profile of the input object at a predetermined set of wavelengths into spatial intensity variations at the output plane, allowing multispectral QPI using a monochrome focal plane array. Through numerical simulations, diffractive multispectral processors are demonstrated to simultaneously perform quantitative phase imaging at 9 and 16 target spectral bands in the visible spectrum. The generalization of these diffractive processor designs is validated through numerical tests on unseen objects, including thin Pap smear images. Due to its all‐optical processing capability using passive dielectric diffractive materials, this diffractive multispectral QPI processor offers a compact and power‐efficient solution for high‐throughput quantitative phase microscopy and spectroscopy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis of ultrasonically assisted microstructure refinement during laser melting process

This work investigates the effect of ultrasonic treatment (UST) on the microstructure of AA4043 alloy during laser melting process. Here, the study utilizes in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and postmortem electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques to examine the ultrasonic grain refinement mechanism. The SXRD diffraction patterns exhibit higher continuity of major diffraction rings in the UST-test pattern, indicating a more refined grain structure. The presence of new diffraction spots in the post-test diffraction pattern with UST suggests the breakdown of epitaxial growth of columnar dendrites during solidification. Thermal profiles determined by analyzing the lattice parameter evolution show a faster cooling rate with UST. The inverse pole figures and aspect ratio distribution from EBSD reveal that the UST samples exhibit a refined, more equiaxed grain structure along the weld centerline. UST sample also develops more fine-sized low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs). These features offer better hot-cracking resistance in aluminum alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Complex-valued universal linear transformations and image encryption using spatially incoherent diffractive networks

As an optical processor, a diffractive deep neural network (D2NN) utilizes engineered diffractive surfaces designed through machine learning to perform all-optical information processing, completing its tasks at the speed of light propagation through thin optical layers. With sufficient degrees of freedom, D2NNs can perform arbitrary complex-valued linear transformations using spatially coherent light. Similarly, D2NNs can also perform arbitrary linear intensity transformations with spatially incoherent illumination; however, under spatially incoherent light, these transformations are nonnegative, acting on diffraction-limited optical intensity patterns at the input field of view. Here, we expand the use of spatially incoherent D2NNs to complex-valued information processing for executing arbitrary complex-valued linear transformations using spatially incoherent light. Through simulations, we show that as the number of optimized diffractive features increases beyond a threshold dictated by the multiplication of the input and output space-bandwidth products, a spatially incoherent diffractive visual processor can approximate any complex-valued linear transformation and be used for all-optical image encryption using incoherent illumination. The findings are important for the all-optical processing of information under natural light using various forms of diffractive surface-based optical processors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effect of Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticles on the Diffraction Efficiency of Holographic Polymer-liquid Crystal Gratings

Electro-optical properties of the holographic and polarization holographic diffraction gratings formed in polymer-liquid crystal composites doped with Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles are considered. The effect of impurities on the diffraction efficiency and operated electric field is shown. The diffraction efficiency of doped holographic diffraction gratings decreases, whereas the diffraction efficiency of polarization diffraction gratings increases. Doping with nanoparticles leads to a decrease in the operated electric field.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis of constituent phases in transition joint between nickel alloy 738LC and a MnFeCoNiCu alloy

Synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was performed on transition joints between a single-phase MnFeCoNiCu alloy and Ni-base Alloy 738LC to efficiently identify the constituent phases across the interface, with different levels of material intermixing generated by laser-welding with variable power. Here, the intermixing extent was quantified by postmortem energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy mapping. Diffraction-based analyses on complex composition spaces with limited prior data present significant challenges because elemental substitution in both disordered and ordered phases is more extensive than in conventional alloy spaces, which may effectuate relatively large shifts in the observed lattice parameters that convolute the analysis. Therefore, thermodynamic simulations and crystallographic literature data were employed to construct a system-specific diffraction library of twelve prospective phases for the composition space investigated. Subsequently, for predicted disordered cubic phases, statistical hard-sphere models were established to estimate the lattice parameters and predict diffraction peak positions for inclusion in the library. The library was then employed to analyze diffraction profiles measured from the variably intermixed transition joints, with focus on accounting for both high and low-intensity peaks. 99.0 % of diffraction peaks with relative intensity greater than 0.001 were assigned to phases from the system-specific library, exemplifying rigorous peak accounting and indicating that no unexpected phases were present. Up to six of the twelve library phases were experimentally found in the transition joints. The lattice parameters predicted by the statistical hard-sphere model based upon thermodynamic simulations agree reasonably well with the measured values for the disordered FCC matrix phase.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Quantitative agreement between dynamical rocking curves in ultrafast electron diffraction for x-ray lasers

Electron diffraction through a thin patterned silicon membrane can be used to create complex spatial modulations in electron distributions. By precisely varying parameters such as crystallographic orientation and wafer thickness, the intensity of reflections in the diffraction plane can be controlled and by placing an aperture to block all but one spot, we can form an image with different parts of the patterned membrane, as is done for bright-field imaging in microscopy. The patterned electron beams can then be used to control phase and amplitude of subsequent x-ray emission, enabling novel coherent x-ray methods. Furthermore, the electrons themselves can also be used for femtosecond time resolved diffraction and microscopy. As a first step toward patterned beams, we demonstrate experimentally and through simulation the ability to accurately predict and control diffraction spot intensities. We simulate MeV transmission electron diffraction patterns using the multislice method for various crystallographic orientations of a single crystal Si(001) membrane near beam normal. The resulting intensity maps of the Bragg reflections are compared to experimental results obtained at the Accelerator Structure Test Area Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (ASTA UED) facility at SLAC. Furthermore, the fraction of inelastic and elastic scattering of the initial charge is estimated along with the absorption of the membrane to determine the contrast that would be seen in a patterned version of the Si(001) membrane.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Data-driven analysis of neutron diffraction line profiles: application to plastically deformed Ta

Abstract Non-destructive evaluation of plastically deformed metals, particularly diffraction line profile analysis (DLPA), is valuable both to estimate dislocation densities and arrangements and to validate microstructure-aware constitutive models. To date, the interpretation of whole line diffraction profiles relies on the use of semi-analytical models such as the extended convolutional multiple whole profile (eCMWP) method. This study introduces and validates two data-driven DLPA models to extract dislocation densities from experimentally gathered whole line diffraction profiles. Using two distinct virtual diffraction models accounting for both strain and instrument induced broadening, a database of virtual diffraction whole line profiles of Ta single crystals is generated using discrete dislocation dynamics. The databases are mined to create Gaussian process regression-based surrogate models, allowing dislocation densities to be extracted from experimental profiles. The method is validated against 11 experimentally gathered whole line diffraction profiles from plastically deformed Ta polycrystals. The newly proposed model predicts dislocation densities consistent with estimates from eCMWP. Advantageously, this data driven LPA model can distinguish broadening originating from the instrument and from the dislocation content even at low dislocation densities. Finally, the data-driven model is used to explore the effect of heterogeneous dislocation densities in microstructures containing grains, which may lead to more accurate data-driven predictions of dislocation density in plastically deformed polycrystals.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

X-ray diffraction strains in laser-ablated aluminum, nickel, sodium, and invar: Pressures to 475 GPa

Dynamically compressed materials in longitudinal waves are described by two physical models: hydrostatic pressure, with equal, normal, principal stresses or material uniaxially strained in the wave propagation direction. These models are disparate, so experimental comparisons and evaluations are important. Polycrystalline material in a state of hydrostatic pressure will have no eccentricity of x-ray-diffracted Debye–Scherrer rings. A general three-dimensional solution of Bragg diffracted x rays based on principal crystallographic strains in the compression wave was found. The distortion of x-ray diffraction beams has been used for strain measurements; the analysis developed incorporates a strained reciprocal lattice and the incident x-ray beam. Strain-distorted Polanyi surfaces form an annulus of compression with an ellipsoid of revolution in reciprocal space, which is intersected by Ewald's sphere for Bragg diffraction. The in situ measurements for strain describe nanosecond diffraction evaluated using two planes, (hkl) and (h′k′l′), both in the same crystallographic phase. Diffraction from Al, Ni, Na, and Invar quantifies the compression axial strains in these materials: The compression axial ratios are 0.65, 1.05, 0.88, and 1.58 at pressures of 291, 402, 409, and 367 GPa for the respective materials. Crystal structure transformations with homogeneous pressurized stresses, mandating equal normal strains, should not be anticipated to agree with heterogeneous, uniaxially strained, and sheared crystalline phases. Measurements support in-plane strains increasing with pressure, p , in fcc and hcp aluminum as ε 22 = −0.21 p /TPa.

Alloys↗

Combined computed tomography and position-resolved X-ray diffraction of an intact Roman-era Egyptian portrait mummy

Hawara Portrait Mummy 4, a Roman-era Egyptian portrait mummy, was studied with computed tomography (CT) and with CT-guided synchrotron X-ray diffraction mapping. These are the first X-ray diffraction results obtained non-invasively from objects within a mummy. The CT data showed human remains of a 5-year-old child, consistent with the female (but not the age) depicted on the portrait. Physical trauma was not evident in the skeleton. Diffraction at two different mummy-to-detector separations allowed volumetric mapping of features including wires and inclusions within the wrappings and the skull and femora. Additionally, the largest uncertainty in origin determination was approximately 1.5 mm along the X-ray beam direction, and diffraction- and CT-determined positions matched. Diffraction showed that the wires were a modern dual-phase steel and showed that the 7 × 5 × 3 mm inclusion ventral of the abdomen was calcite. Tracing the 00.2 and 00.4 carbonated apatite (bone's crystalline phase) reflections back to their origins produced cross-sectional maps of the skull and of femora; these maps agreed with transverse CT slices within approximately 1 mm. Coupling CT and position-resolved X-ray diffraction, therefore, offers considerable promise for non-invasive studies of mummies.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

One-dimensional neutron diffraction from layered graphite: Reciprocal space structure and grating behavior

In this work we report observations of one-dimensional neutron diffraction from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), where the scattering angle varies continuously with incident angle following classical grating-like behavior. The 2D polycrystalline structure of HOPG—with highly aligned layers along the 𝑐 axis but random in-plane rotations—creates planes of scattering intensity in reciprocal space at 𝑄 𝑐 =𝑛⁢(2⁢𝜋/𝑑) where 𝑑=3.35Å is the interlayer spacing. As the Ewald sphere sweeps through reciprocal space during sample rotation, it continuously intersects these planes, producing the observed angular dispersion. We observe both first-order (𝑛=1) and second-order (𝑛=2) diffraction at conventional scattering angles (25°–70°), with peak positions that remain temperature-independent between 10 K and 294 K and follow quantitative agreement with momentum conservation 𝑄 𝑐 =𝑘⁢[sin⁡𝜓−sin⁡𝜓 𝑓 ]=𝑛⁢(2⁢𝜋/𝑑). X-ray diffraction under similar conditions shows no comparable behavior, confirming that sharp nuclear-vacuum contrast is essential. While diffraction intensities are weak (∼10 −6 of Bragg peaks), the observations demonstrate how the interplay of atomic-scale periodicity, nuclear contrast, and structural disorder enables observation of continuous diffraction curves at thermal neutron wavelengths, illustrating how HOPG's unique microstructure determines its scattering properties beyond conventional Bragg diffraction.

2-dimensional systems↗

Precision lattice parameter determination from transmission diffraction of thick specimens with irregular cross sections

Accurate determination of lattice parameters from X-ray diffraction requires that the diffraction angles be measured very precisely, and significant errors result if the sample–detector separation differs from that assumed. Transmission diffraction from bones, which have a complex cross section and must be left intact, is a situation where this separation is difficult to measure and it may differ from position to position across the specimen. Here, this article describes a method for eliminating the effect of variable sample cross section. Diffraction patterns for each position on the specimen are collected before and after 180° rotation about an axis normal to the cross section of interest. This places the centroid of the diffracting mass at the center of rotation and provides the absolute lattice parameters from the average apparent lattice parameters at the two rotation angles. Diffraction patterns were collected across the cross section of three specimens: a 3D-printed elliptical cylinder of Hyperelastic Bone (HB), which is composed primarily of synthetic hydroxyapatite (hAp), a 3D-printed HB model of the second metacarpal bone (Mc2), and a modern human Mc2 containing nanocrystalline carbonated apatite (cAp). Rietveld refinement was used to determine precise unit-cell parameters a apparent and c apparent for each pattern of each scan, and these values determined the actual average < a > and < c > for each sample. In conclusion, the results indicate that the 0°/180° rotation method works well enough to uncover variations approaching 1 × 10 -3 Å in cAp unit-cell parameters in intact bones with irregular cross sections.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Detector Tilt Considerations in Bragg Coherent Diffraction Imaging: A Simulation Study

This paper addresses the three-dimensional signal distortion and image reconstruction issues in X-ray Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) in the event of a general non-orthogonal orientation of the area detector with respect to the diffracted beam. Growing interest in novel BCDI adaptations at fourth-generation synchrotron light sources has necessitated improvisations in the experimental configuration and the subsequent data analysis. One such possibly unavoidable improvisation that is envisioned in this paper is a photon-counting area detector whose face is tilted away from the perpendicular to the Bragg-diffracted beam during the acquisition of the coherent diffraction signal. We describe a likely circumstance in which one would require such a detector configuration, along with the experimental precedent at third-generation synchrotrons. Using physically accurate diffraction simulations from synthetic scatterers in the presence of such tilted detectors, we analyze the general nature of the observed signal distortion qualitatively and quantitatively and provide a prescription to correct for it during image reconstruction. Our simulations and reconstructions are based on an adaptation of the known theory of BCDI sampling geometry, as well as the recently developed projection-based methods of wavefield propagation. Such configurational modifications and their numerical remedies are potentially valuable in realizing unconventional coherent diffraction measurement geometries, eventually paving the way for the integration of BCDI into new material characterization experiments at next-generation light sources.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Modeling and experimental validation of dynamical effects in Bragg coherent x-ray diffractive imaging of finite crystals

Bragg coherent diffractive imaging (BCDI) is a noninvasive microscopy technique that can visualize the shape and internal lattice deviations of crystals with nanoscale spatial resolution and picometer deformation sensitivity. Its strain imaging capability relies on Fourier transform–based iterative phase retrieval algorithms, which are mostly developed under the kinematical approximation. Such approximation prohibits the application of BCDI on larger crystals, which are commonly seen in most emerging functional materials. Understanding the dynamical effect in BCDI, as well as developing a validated method for modeling BCDI at the dynamical diffraction limit, is crucial for applying BCDI to hierarchical systems that contain micron-sized crystals and grains. Thus we report a comparative study on the impact of dynamical diffraction effects by comparing the reconstruction results from two measurements of the same crystal. Forward simulation is implemented to show subtle changes of interference fringes in the diffraction pattern due to the dynamical diffraction, and is compared directly with the experimental data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

TMD factorisation for diffractive jets in photon-nucleus interactions

Abstract Using the colour dipole picture and the colour glass condensate effective theory, we study the diffractive production of two or three jets via coherent photon-nucleus interactions at high energy. We consider the hard regime where the photon virtuality and/or the transverse momenta of the produced jets are much larger than the saturation momentumQ s of the nuclear target. We show that, despite this hardness, the leading-twist contributions are controlled by relatively large parton configurations, with transverse sizesR~ 1/Q s , which undergo strong scattering and probe gluon saturation. We demonstrate that these leading-twist contributions admit transverse-momentum dependent (TMD) factorisation, in terms of quark and gluon diffractive TMD distribution functions, for which we obtain explicit expressions from first principles. We go beyond our previous work by evaluating the contributions involving the quark diffractive distributions and by establishing that their DGLAP evolution emerges via controlled calculations within the colour dipole picture. We find the same expression for the quark diffractive TMD in two different processes (semi-inclusive diffraction and the diffractive production of quark-gluon dijets), thus demonstrating its universality.

Physics↗

Phase Identification in Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction Patterns of Ti–6Al–4V Using Computer Vision and Deep Learning

X-ray diffraction patterns contain information about the atomistic structure and microstructure (defect population) of materials, extracting detailed information from diffraction patterns is complex, demanding and relies on prior knowledge. Here, we hypothesize that deep-learning techniques can help to perform an effective and accurate analysis with high throughput rates. To demonstrate this concept, we applied a novel deep learning framework to determine the evolution of the β-phase volume fraction in a Ti–6Al–4V alloy during heat-treatment from video sequences of 2D diffraction patterns recorded in transmission and with highly monochromatic radiation in a synchrotron beamline. In particular, we studied the impact of network design on prediction reliability and computational performance. Networks of different architectures were trained using 3008 experimental 2D patterns. A well-tuned model was found to reproduce the phase fractions of another experimental data set, consisting of 1100 diffraction patterns, with a mean-square error as small as 2.6 x 10 -4 . The average prediction error of β-phase volume fraction was within 1.6 x 10 -2 (in each diffraction pattern) of the values obtained by conventional methods. Our work demonstrates that convolutional neural networks can evaluate high energy X-ray diffraction patterns with a remarkable level of reliability. Furthermore, it demonstrates the significance of network design on the reliability of predictions and computational performance. The most complex models do not necessarily result in highest accuracy and may even fail to learn from the data.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗