Nonstoichiometric SrTiO₃ thin films were fabricated by different thin-film deposition methods. The impact on the oxide/silcon interface stability as well as the crystallization onset temperature is investigated.

This X-ray diffraction study proves that two α polymorphs of copper pthalocyanine (CuPc) co-exist in vacuum-deposited thin films and provides possible molecular configurations by excluded-volume considerations. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy images together with a simple MATLAB simulation show that elevated substrate temperatures facilitate the downward diffusion of CuPc molecules during film growth and lead to a smoother surface.

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 polymer thin-film deposition method is shown to produce high-quality substrates suitable for both static and time-resolved M-edge XANES spectroscopy.

The thickness of a thin film formed on a substrate is easily derived using the spectral separation and log equation, which is a modified version of the formula used in the field of electron spectroscopy.

Grazing-incidence total X-ray scattering allows for orientational pair distribution function analysis of indium oxide thin films with only a single measurement. Elucidation of information such as effects of film anisotropy on bond lengths in specific orientations relative to the substrate and determination of orientation in X-ray amorphous films is demonstrated.

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.

Preferred orientation of macromolecules is one of the major issues that are commonly encountered in obtaining isotropic cryo-EM maps. Here, a comprehensive examination was performed of how macromolecule orientations respond to changes in physical factors, such as freezing temperature, and chemical factors, such as the addition of surfactants, for a standard set of macromolecules, which provides insights into their behaviour on grids and can be utilized to address the preferred orientation problem in a systemic manner for any given macromolecule.

Artificial neural networks trained with simulated data are shown to correctly and quickly determine film parameters from experimental X-ray reflectivity curves.

This paper reports on quasi-fivefold symmetric electron diffraction patterns observed in multiply twinned silicon thin films after epitaxy breakdown; the weight of twinned orientations compared to that of random microcrystalline orientations is determined. The origins of twinning and multiple twinning during epitaxy breakdown are discussed.