A new method of x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) using coherent x-rays is developed recently for probing the dynamics of surface height fluctuations as a function of lateral length scale. This emerging technique applies the principles of d...
A new method of x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) using coherent x-rays is developed recently for probing the dynamics of surface height fluctuations as a function of lateral length scale. This emerging technique applies the principles of dynamic light scattering in the x-ray regime. The short wavelength and slow time scales characteristic of XPCS extend the phase space accessible to scattering studies beyond some restrictions by light and neutron. In this paper, we demonstrate XPCS to study the dynamics of surface fluctuations in thin supported polymer films. We present experimental verification of the theoretical predictions for the wave vector and temperature dependence of the capillary wave relaxation times for the supported polymer films at melt for the film thicknesses thicker than 4 times of the radius of gyration of polymer. We observed a deviation from the conventional capillary wave predictions in thinner films. The analysis will be discussed in terms of surface tension, viscosity and effective interactions with the substrate.