Wolfgang Hillen Summer School 2018

Prof. Dr. Eva M. Herzig

Herzig Group - Dynamik und Strukturbildung
Experimentalphysik

University of Bayreuth
Universitätsstr. 30
95447 Bayreuth
Germany

Telefon: +49-(0)921/55-2619
E-Mail: eva.herzig@uni-bayreuth.de


Dr. Alexander Hexemer

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Advanced Light Source

1 Cyclotron Road, MS2R0400 CA, 94720 Berkeley U.S.A.
phone: +1 510 486 6435
e-mail: AHexemer@lbl.gov


Grazing Incidence Scattering Summerschool

September 17th - 21st 2018 – Bayreuth, Germany

The structural characterization of thin films is gaining steadily in importance. In most cases, the nanostructure of these thin films (i.e. printed electronics, printed solar cells, functional thin films,..) determines the inherent material properties (i.e. conductivity, efficiency, optical properties,…).

A complex, but extremely valuable method for thin film characterization is grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GISAXS/GIWAXS). To help master and PhD students to get a quick start into this method – not just theoretically but also in practical terms – this summer school offers a crash course in theory, experiment, analysis and simulation. For this purpose, scientists from the Advanced Light Source and the University of Bayreuth will work together with the help of colleagues from the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science and from Switzerland to provide the necessary support.

The format was already tested in the summer of 2016 and was well received. The students have the opportunity to apply with their own material system by submitting a mini proposal. Before the school, the participants obtain information and expert counselling regarding their sample preparation for the planned measurements. The measurements itself will be carried out remotely such that the data is available during the summerschool which takes place in September 2018.

The personal data will then be used and analysed by each student individually. To achieve this in a systematic manner, the theoretical introduction is followed by practical tutorials for analysis and data simulation. During that time experts are at hand to individually help the students and work on their science cases.

By carrying out this summer school, expert skills available in Bavaria and California are being brought together and are disseminated to a new generation of students. Candidates having participated in the school will be able to carry out their own experiments in the future with much faster success rate than without the training and gain personal contacts for future reference. Those candidates that already bring some experience in scattering can further strengthen their skills and probe their ideas for more advanced measurements utilizing the presence of the experts for in depth discussions. Furthermore, the master and PhD students will build-up a network of fellow peers between California and Bavaria with the common interest of thin film morphology but for a wide range of applications.

 

Final Report

The second summer school on grazing incidence scattering took place in Bayreuth, Germany, from the 17th to the 21st of September 2018. Participants from around the world came together to learn about this thin film analysis technique in basic and specialized workshops. Together with the support of various experts they remotely measured their samples and started their analysis. Introductory lessons on software tools for analysis and associated tutorials allowed everyone to get busy on their own data and get involved into detailed discussions with the experts. A social program in the evenings made the group grow together and have a lot of enjoyable time together.


Feedback from the students:

“The courses were really informative.” – “I really liked the availability of the experts both social and professional. This was really good!” -  “It was one of the best organised workshops I’ve been to” - “I learnt a lot about my sample system, but there is more work to do to make it publishable.” - “Talking to an expert for 5 minutes is more valuable than reading 100.000.000 articles.”