A general formalism of X-ray scattering from different kinds of surface morphologies is described. Based on a description of the surface morphology at the atomic scale through the use of the paracrystal model and discrete distributions of distances,
the scattered intensity by non-periodic surfaces is calculated over the whole reciprocal space. In one dimension, the scattered intensity by a vicinal surface, the two-level model, the N-level model, the faceted surface and the rough surface are addressed. In two dimensions, the previous results are generalized to the kinked vicinal surface, the two-level vicinal surface and the step meandering on a vicinal surface. The concept of crystal truncation rod is generalized considering also the truncation of a terrace by a step (yielding a terrace truncation rod) and a step by a kink (yielding a step truncation rod).
The self-organized growth of Co nanoparticles with 10 nm periodicity was achieved at room temperature on a Ag(001) surface patterned by an underlying dislocation network, as shown by real time, in situ Grazing Incidence Small and Wide Angle X-ray Sca
ttering. The misfit dislocation network, buried at the interface between a 5nm-thick Ag thin film and a MgO(001) substrate, induces a periodic strain field on top of the surface. Nucleation and growth of Co on tensile areas are found as the most favorable sites as highlighted by Molecular Dynamic simulations.
The morphology of growing Pd nano-particles on MgO(001) surfaces have been investigated in situ, during growth, by grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering, for different substrate temperatures. The 2D patterns obtained are quantitatively analy
zed, and the average morphological parameters (shape, size) deduced. Above 650 K, the aggregates adopt their equilibrium shape of truncated octahedron, and the interfacial energy is deduced.
