Development of x-ray nanodiffraction instrumentation for studies of individual nano-objects

X-ray nanodiffraction was developed to study individual crystalline nano-objects at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). This technique allows nondestructive structural characterization of individual nano-objects with the advantages of high structural sensitivity and high penetration. Using the extremely high brightness of a third-generation synchrotron radiation source and hard x-ray phase zone-plate optics, we have focused hard x-rays to a microbeam of less than 200 nm during routine operation so that significant diffraction can be measured from a single tin oxide nanowire (cross section down to 24 nm x 10 nm). In this paper, we will describe the experimental technique in detail and present the results of a structural study of a few tin oxide nanowires.