The first of its kind study led by researchers at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Using a new ultra-sensitive technique, X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS), they revealed unexpected, microscopic and dynamical features of phase transformations in materials. The team, along with their colleagues, used this cutting-edge method to investigate the dynamics of phase transitions in complex structures composed of lead titanate and strontium titanate layers. As a result, their groundbreaking research has shown that these transformations can be up to 100,000 times slower than previously assumed. This goes against common understanding and opens new possibilities for accelerating the design of ever-faster microelectronics.
Unveiling the Mysteries of Phase Transformations
As these materials are often heterogeneous and dynamical, XPCS has become an unparalleled tool in the study of such processes. She and her colleagues pioneered use of the technique at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). MST’s exquisite facility is famous for the pursuit of the high spatial resolution through the fine diodes. Scientists employed XPCS to understand how phases change from one state of matter to another. Their work presents some highly illuminating glimpses of the messy reality behind these often-glamorized transformations.
As a proof of concept, the Center’s resonator fabrication work was aimed at an advanced macrostructure made up of alternating layers of lead titanate and strontium titanate. Conventionally, one would expect such phase transformations to occur in the time scale of hundreds of nanoseconds. Thanks to XPCS, we knew that by then, the transformation was already only half gone. The whole process ended up only taking tens of milliseconds—far afield from previous estimates.
Challenging Conventional Wisdom
In its newly published study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research team underscored those fundamental findings. These outcomes reject widely accepted assumptions about the kinetics of phase transformations. Taken together, these findings underscore the multifaceted nature of the transformation process. It occurs at smaller scales, and it takes way longer than we thought. This new fundamental understanding is extremely important for designing materials with targeted properties. It provides clues to the fundamental processes that dictate phase transitions.
These findings are incredibly impactful. They are even more critical when it comes to the design of materials deployed in emerging technologies such as microelectronics. This allows scientists to understand in more detail how materials move from one phase into another. Control of these processes is key in both shaping their evolution and creating faster, more energy-efficient devices.
A New Frontier in Material Science
Among these, XPCS looms large as an emerging technique that opens unprecedented opportunities to explore the dynamic behaviors of materials. This work demonstrates its use and points out a revolutionizing opportunity to improve our understanding of phase transformations. Finally, it highlights the most significant drivers of these changes. It’s never been easier to visualize and explore these processes in stunning detail. This latest advancement heralds a brimming new world of possibilities for research and innovation in the material sciences.
The role of XPCS to reveal these fascinating details even further highlights its impact on pushing science forward. By providing a clearer picture of how materials behave at the microscopic level, researchers can develop strategies to optimize their properties for various applications.