X-ray ptychographic topography: A robust nondestructive tool for strain imaging

Strain and defects in crystalline materials are responsible for the distinct mechanical, electric, magnetic properties of a desired material, making their study an essential task material characterization, fabrication, design. Existing techniques visualization strain fields, such as transmission electron microscopy diffraction, destructive limited to thin slices materials. On other hand, nondestructive x-ray imaging methods either have reduced resolution or not robust enough broad range applications. Here we present ptychographic topography, method imaging, demonstrate its use on InSb micropillar after microcompression, where strained region is visualized with spatial 30 nm. Thereby, topography proves itself approach fields within bulk specimens few tens nanometers.