title: Scanning transmission x-ray microscopy as a novel tool to probe colloidal and photonic crystals.
abstract: Photonic crystals consisting of nano- to micrometer-sized building blocks, such as multiple sorts of colloids, have recently received widespread attention. It remains a challenge, however, to adequately probe the internal crystal structure and the corresponding deformations that inhibit the proper functioning of such materials. It is shown that scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) can directly reveal the local structure, orientations, and even deformations in polystyrene and silica colloidal crystals with 30-nm spatial resolution. Moreover, STXM is capable of imaging a diverse range of crystals, including those that are dry and inverted, and provides novel insights complementary to information obtained by benchmark confocal fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy techniques.
authors.affiliation: Inorganic Chemistry & Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matti M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: van Schooneveld
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hilhorst
authors.forename: Andrei V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Petukhov
authors.forename: Tolek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tyliszczak
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bert M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Weckhuysen
authors.forename: Frank M F
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.forename: Emiel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Smit
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids