Coherent x-ray diffraction imaging of silicon oxide growth

We have measured the morphology of Si samples as a function of time in air after stripping of the native oxide. For this purpose we examined the refle ctivity of a coherent beam of x rays, which produces a structured diffracti on pattern. We have made further progress in the development of an inversio n algorithm for conversion of these patterns into one-dimensional height im ages. Nanometer-sized features are found to grow and evolve in waves across the surface on the time scale of minutes to hours. [S0163-1829(99)05038-9] .