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We report here for the first time the combination of x-ray synchrotron light and a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS). We show how it is possible to modulate in real time a MEMS mass distribution to induce a nanometric and tunable mechanical oscillation. The quantitative experimental demonstration we present here uses periodic thermal dilatation of a Ge microcrystal attached to a Si microlever, induced by controlled absorption of an intensity modulated x-ray microbeam. The mechanism proposed can be envisaged either for the detection of small heat flux or for the actuation of a mechanical system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the early stage of ripple formation on Ge(001) surfaces irradiated by a 1 keV Xe+ ion beam at room temperature and near-normal incidence. A combination of a grazing incidence x-ray scattering technique and atomic force microscopy allowed us to observe a variation of the symmetry of the surface nanopattern upon increase of the ion fluence. The isotropic dot pattern formed during the first minutes of sputtering evolves into an anisotropic ripple pattern for longer sputtering time. These results provide a new basis for further steps in the theoretical description of the morphology evolution during ion beam sputtering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]