Nondestructive determination of depth dependent properties
What is it about?
The properties of materials at surfaces for the interface with other materials is often very different from the properties in the bulk of the film. An ideal way to study these changes is a nondestructive method that will allow you to do other measurements as well. While this paper focuses on the depth dependence of atomic valence, the same process could be used to understand other properties. This paper uses synchrotron tools, but anything will work as long as you have a bulk and surface sensitive measurement over a range of sample thicknesses. While not a requirement, having a theoretical model (as included here) will be helpful.
Why is it important?
This difference between bulk and interface properties can have dramatic implications on the performance of materials for various devices. For example, the physics behind why magnetic thin films lose their magnetism is not understood. Magnetic devices are everywhere. Most people likely have hundreds in their house, and that is not limited to the refrigerator. Similar numbers can be found in many vehicles. Just like their purpose, the desired properties of magnets vary significantly. Some applications rely on the bulk properties, while the surface and interface properties are critical in others. Being able to study the characteristics that affect magnetism (and other properties) are critical to understanding how to optimize devices.