A major problem in characterizing the strain in non-planar structures such as nanowires is to resolve within a standard framework the interplay between the different contributions. This article reports an efficient nondestructive X-ray laboratory formalism that allows good control of the local examination, providing the strain mapping along the nanowire length and a quantitative description of the energy transfer inside the nanowire array, as well as an estimation of the structural defect densities.

Anomalous extra spots visible in electron diffraction patterns of silicon nanowires and silicon thin films are explained by the presence of micro- and nanotwins.

A nondestructive X-ray laboratory method was developed to enable determination of the static Debye–Waller factor distribution along the z axis for porous layers, which further allows the quantification of the porosity gradient. Accordingly, grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction at different incidence angles was employed to obtain a wide range of X-ray penetration depths down to the interface of a porous silicon layer with the substrate.

Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging was used to detect a threefold rotational symmetry in hexagonally shaped single semiconductor nanowires. The core–shell–shell structure was resolved by probing symmetric hhh Bragg reflections.

A multiscale analytical approach is presented for understanding the structure of micro- and nano-fabricated nanowire-based sensors. Using scanning X-ray diffraction microscopy, crystal deformation is evaluated with respect to lattice strain and tilt caused by the manufacturing process of a silicon monolith.

The morphology, structure and luminescence properties of one-dimensional vertically aligned Sb-doped ZnO nanowires on a silicon substrate have been studied. The results show that the use of Si(111) is a critical factor for the growth of vertically aligned nanowires.

X-ray single-mode diffraction is achieved using wide-angle incidence and grazing-emergence diffraction from a bare Si substrate and from Si nanowires on an Si substrate.

The bending radii and strain of individual nanowires are determined using X-ray diffraction with a nano-focused beam and a dedicated diffraction theory for strongly bent crystals. Electron microscopy investigations corroborate the results.

The epitaxial growth of Gd₂O₃ on Si(001) has been investigated using several methods, including X-ray and electron diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. The results show that crystal structure and morphology can be tuned by changing the growth conditions and are discussed within the framework of different physical effects.

Structural parameters of NiSi₂ nanoplates and Ni nanospheres grown in different layers of a multilayered sample were determined with improved accuracy from an analysis of grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) patterns recorded independently after successive chemical removals of outer layers.