X-ray nanodiffraction meets materials science

The Micro- and Nanofocus X-ray Scattering beamline P03 of PETRA III (DESY, Hamburg) has two endstations, one of which is the Nanofocus Endstation. Operated jointly by Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht and the University of Kiel, it is one of the few synchrotron endstations providing the experimental conditions for scanning X-ray nanodiffraction. A beam with a size of 350 x 250 nm² is generated using a long focal distance focusing system. New techniques are constantly being developed at P03 with a strong focus on materials science in order to promote this powerful, yet rarely used technique in materials science.Scanning X-ray nanodiffraction is an excellent tool for materials science. It readily serves structural information with sub-µm spatial resolution from crystalline and semi-crystalline materials (metals, biomaterials, synthetic compounds). That way grain orientation, residual stress profiles, crystal structure or texture can be obtained in a non-destructive analysis. Because of the long focal distance focusing, the wide energy range of the beamline (up to 23 keV) and a hexapod based positioning system, high resolution nanodiffraction experiments can be performed on strongly absorbing metallic samples and in extended sample environments. The strong focus on materials science at P03 is best demonstrated by the wide range of experiments already performed with in situ sample environments: stretching cells for tensile tests, a cryostream for temperature control, magnetic and electric field application, a nanoindentation apparatus and a high pressure cell for measurements at high hydrostatic pressure – all of these methods were successfully combined with the high spatial resolution provided by nanofocused beam. This contribution will outline the details of the setup at P03 and indicate its various applications in materials science