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@INPROCEEDINGS{Ptter:943368,
author = {Pütter, Sabine and Guasco, Laura and Khaydukov, Yury and
Silvi, Luca and Paulin, Mariano and Keller, Thomas and
Keimer, Bernhard},
title = {{D}etection of hydrogen in thin films through resonant
neutron reflectometry via a magnetic layer},
reportid = {FZJ-2023-00967},
year = {2023},
abstract = {The study of hydrogen diffusion and storage in different
materials is crucial in the challenge of an actual
implementation of sustainable energy sources, but also to
explore the possible modification of electronic, magnetic
and optical properties of the host material. Amongst the
most widely used techniques to study hydrogen absorption in
thin films are neutron (NR) and X-ray reflectometry (XRR).
XRR allows to track the thickness changes of the absorbing
layer, while NR gives in addition direct information about
the absorbed hydrogen content. Nonetheless, NR is a
relatively time-consuming measurement, with a sensitivity
limit that greatly depends on the counting time. The
detection limit is at about $5\%$ atomic concentration.In
this contribution we propose to apply resonant neutron
reflectometry (RNR) [1]. The method is model-free and allows
to measure smaller $(<5\%)$ concentrations of hydrogen
absorbed in situ, with smaller counting times and with a
higher sensitivity. Inserting a magnetic layer into the
hydrogen absorbing layer a magnetic wave guide for neutrons
is formed. On hydrogen loading the scattering potential of
the system is modified which is seen in the position of the
resonance formed due to the contrast between the scattering
potential of the absorbing layer and its neighbours. The
requirements for the magnetic thin film and the absorbing
layer are discussed. We will present experiments performed
on Al2O3/Nb(x)/Co(3nm)/Nb(x)/Pt(3nm) thin films
demonstrating that hydrogen concentrations below $1\%$ and
absorption kinetics of few seconds can be measured using
this method.Furthermore by combining information given by in
situ XRR and RNR performed at NREX, a neutron reflectometer
at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum in Garching, Germany we
were able to observe peculiarities in the absorption process
of niobium. In this contribution we will discuss the current
results and give an overview on how magnetic properties of
thin films like the depth resolved magnetic moment can be
studied with polarized neutron reflectometry.[1] L. Guasco,
Yu. N. Khaydukov, S. Pütter, L. Silvi, M. A. Paulin, T.
Keller, and B. Keimer, Nat. Comms. 13 (2022) 1486},
month = {Jan},
date = {2023-01-15},
organization = {4th IEEE International Conference on
Advances in Magnetics, Moena (Italy),
15 Jan 2023 - 18 Jan 2023},
subtyp = {After Call},
cin = {JCNS-4 / MLZ / JCNS-2 / JCNS-FRM-II},
cid = {I:(DE-Juel1)JCNS-4-20201012 / I:(DE-588b)4597118-3 /
I:(DE-Juel1)JCNS-2-20110106 /
I:(DE-Juel1)JCNS-FRM-II-20110218},
pnm = {632 - Materials – Quantum, Complex and Functional
Materials (POF4-632) / 6G4 - Jülich Centre for Neutron
Research (JCNS) (FZJ) (POF4-6G4)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-632 / G:(DE-HGF)POF4-6G4},
experiment = {EXP:(DE-MLZ)MBE-MLZ-20151210 / EXP:(DE-MLZ)MARIA-20140101 /
EXP:(DE-MLZ)N-REX-20140101},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)6},
url = {https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/943368},
}