Diffuse scattering from lamellar structures

Abstract

Lamellar structures are formed in a variety of soft materials including lipids, surfactants, block polymers, clays, colloids, semicrystalline polymers and others. Lamellar phases are characterized by scattering patterns containing pseudo-Bragg peaks from the layer ordering. However, fluctuations of the lamellae give rise to diffuse scattering in addition. This diffuse scattering can provide valuable information on the elastic properties of lamellae which control their fluctuations. A number of models to account for this are described in this Tutorial Review, along with examples from the literature. In addition, diffuse scattering from in-plane fluctuations or structures such as perforations or patterned nanoparticles is considered. This type of diffuse scattering can give unique information on the nature of, and positional (and bond orientational) ordering within, correlated structures within the lamellar plane. Anisotropic diffuse scattering features from thermotropic smectic phases is also briefly discussed.