Materials analysis by synchrotron radiation in the SPring-8

In the SPring-8, the largest synchrotron radiation facility in the world, 13 industrial companies designed and constructed two beam lines for materials research exclusively for the consortium use, and the companies started studies on materials analysis in October 1999. Recent results: the highly sensitive x-ray in-plane diffraction data taken from the Co alloy thin-film magnetic recording media showed the broadening of diffraction peaks due to stacking faults; XAFS (x-ray-absorption fine-structure) measurement showed that the surface of Pt fine particles used for a fuel cell electrode was oxidized; the x-ray reflectivity measurement revealed that DLC (diamond-like carbon) films prepared by different methods had different densities. (author)