Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction Research Articles

Unveiling the secrets of non-evaporable getter films: Activation temperature, activation time, and achievable activation degree

Non-evaporable getter films play an important role in the creating and maintaining of high or ultra-high vacuum environments in advanced scientific disciplines. Prior to application, thermal activation in a vacuum environment is essential. Despite numerous attempts to reduce the film activation temperature, uncertainty remains as to whether extending the activation time at a relatively lower activation temperature will ensure a fully-activated state of the film. To address this issue, the microstructure and activation performance of the film has been investigated. Techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed. Experimental investigations show that a fully-activated state of the film cannot be achieved at around 150°C, regardless of the activation time. Further analysis shows that, at activation temperatures below about 200°C, the migration trend of oxygen atoms within TiZrV/TiZrHfV films exhibits asynchronous features. This process was accompanied by boundary effects of foreign atom migration channels. In addition, the achievable activation degree of the film shows a step characteristic. These results improve the understanding of the relationship between activation temperature, activation time, and the achievable activation degree of the film.

Electrosynthesis-Induced Pt Skin Effect in Mesoporous Ni-Rich Ni-Pt Thin Films for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

A Pt skin effect, i.e., an enrichment of Pt within the first 1-2 nm from the surface, is observed in as-prepared electrodeposited Ni-rich Ni-Pt thin films. This effect, revealed by Rutherford backscattering (RBS), is present for both dense thin films and mesoporous thin films synthesized by micelle-assisted electrodeposition from a chloride-based electrolyte. Due to the Pt skin effect, the Ni-rich thin films show excellent stability at the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media, during which a gradient in the Pt/Ni ratio is established along the thickness of the thin films, while the activity at the HER remains unaffected by this structural change. Further characterization by elastic recoil detection with He ions analysis shows that hydrogen profiles are similar to those of Pt: a surface hydrogen peak coincides with the Pt skin, and a gradient in hydrogen concentration is established during HER in acidic media, together with a considerable uptake in hydrogen. A comparative study shows that in alkaline media, hydrogen evolution has little to no effect on the structural properties of the thin films, even for much longer times of exposure. The mesoporous thin films, in addition to their higher efficiency at HER compared to dense thin films, also show lower internal stress, as determined by Rietveld refinement of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction patterns. The latter also reveal a fully single-phase and nanocrystalline structure for all thin films with varying Ni contents.

Direct Laser Writing Crystal Polymorphs of Organic Semiconductors for Phase Change Electronics.

The many diverse polymorphic behaviors observed in organic electronic materials offer opportunities to modulate electronic properties through reversibly switching crystal structures. Here, we access the prolific polymorphism observed in two-dimensional quinoidal terthiophene via laser writing to locally heat and direct the phase transitions. We access a metastable polymorph IV through rapid cooling and observe distinct symmetry as well as packing through grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD). Using our open-source PolyChemPrint patterning platform, we direct laser heating to initiate the IV-I transition, switching the conductance by >2 orders of magnitude. This is confirmed via a combination of GIXD and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, we demonstrate switching of transistor devices as well as discrete tuning of conductance via laser writing.

Influence of topography on nano-mechanical properties of cylindrical magnetron sputtered TiN films

Numerous studies on Nano-mechanical behavior of the thin films explained primarily in terms of their film morphology and particle size rather than film topography. Therefore, the current study investigates the effect of film topography on the nano-mechanical characteristics of the film. Ti/TiN multilayer thin films were deposited at varying deposition pressures by using an indigenously developed Cylindrical Magnetron Sputtering (CMS) unit. Surface crystallographic information is characterized by synchrotron-based Grazing Incidence XRD analysis. Film growth follows self-assembled nano hill architecture as revealed by AFM and in situ Scanning Probe Microscopy images. The tribo-mechanical properties of the film is dependent on the height and spacing of its self-assembled structure, which experiences either crushing or buckling under the indenter load, thereby affecting film characteristics. Film deposited at moderate pressure exhibits superior wear behavior, attributed to the interplay between Plasticity Index (PI) and Depth Recovery Ratio (DRR). The study primarily focused on film growth phenomena by using cylindrical targets and their influence on nanomechanical properties of the film.

Fabricating Cu2Zn(SnxGe1-x)Se4 thin-film solar cells with back surface Ge grading by magnetron sputtering

In this paper, an approach of forming a band gap gradient by depositing a layer of Ge between the Mo layers by magnetron sputtering is proposed. The diffusion depth of the Ge into Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) thin film can be effectively controlled by the Mo transition layer, resulting in the formation of Cu2Zn(SnxGe1-x)Se4 (CZTGSe) thin film with a band gap grading along the back surface. To validate the formation of the Ge gradient in the absorber, energy dispersive spectrometer line scanning and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction were performed. Furthermore, the impact of Ge layer on the morphologies of CZTSe was assessed using scanning electron microscopy. As a result, the introduced Ge layer formed a Ge grading along the back surface and improved the crystal quality of the absorber. Compared to CZTSe solar cells, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of CZTGSe solar cells with a Ge gradient improved from 5.79 % to 9.28 %.

Deposition pressure-controlled phase tailoring and stability of β-W for spintronic applications

Understanding the nucleation and growth of tungsten (W) is technologically important in spin-to-charge interconversion for realizing energy-efficient spintronic devices. Here, we have systematically investigated the effect of Ar deposition pressure (PAr) on the nucleation and growth of W. The observed surface topography as a function of PAr reveals a microstructural transition from zone T to zone 1 in the structure zone model. The physical origin for the increasing roughness as a function of PAr correlates with the surface diffusion of adatoms and growth kinetics in the Volmer–Weber growth mechanism. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) results show that W exhibits a structural phase transition from a mixed phase of (α+β)-W to a single phase of β-W as a function of PAr. The analysis of the electron diffraction patterns obtained from the films grown on amorphous-SiNx windows also supports these observations. The observed transition is fundamentally correlated with the growth kinetics in zone T and zone I. Thickness-dependent GIXRD results qualitatively prove that the film grown in zone T exhibits compressive strain, whereas that grown in zone I exhibits only tensile strain. The critical thickness for the phase transition is strongly attributed to the strain during nucleation and growth. The increasing resistivity as a function of PAr corroborates the change in structural phases. Thickness-dependent resistivity measurements correlate with the degree of crystallinity via relative intensity observed from the GIXRD results. Our results strongly suggest that W structural phases can be deterministically controlled via PAr for developing low-power spintronic devices.

Exploring the performance of Co/Al2O3–ZrO2 nanocatalysts developed through the thermal evaporation method in dry reforming of methane

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the performance of the thin layer nanostructures of Co/Al2O3–ZrO2 in the dry reforming of methane (DRM) in a microchannel reactor. The nanostructures were prepared via utilizing the thermal evaporation method. Reactor tests were carried out at various coating times of 2, 3, and 4 min and temperatures of 700, 750, and 800 °C with a feed flow rate of 10 ml/min and a 1:1:8 ratio of helium, carbon dioxide, and methane. Also, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) were used to identify catalyst features. According to the obtained results, the highest percentage of conversion in all samples was observed at 800 °C. The results of the reactor tests also revealed that the activity of catalyst layers highly depends on coating time. The findings demonstrated that raising deposition time improves the distribution of particle size and catalyst loading. Considering the nanostructure of Co/Al2O3–ZrO2, the sample undergoing 4 min coating time yielded the highest amount of primary methane conversion (89.3 %), primary carbon dioxide conversion (92.4 %), and H2/CO molar ratio (0.91). The stability test of the catalyst layers for 28 h at the optimum condition (P = 1 atm, T = 800 °C, t = 4 min deposition time, CH4/CO2 = 1, and GHSV = 48,000 mL g−1 h−1) showed that the catalysts prepared by this method had a good stability.

The effect of RF sputtering power on structural, nanomechanical and tribological properties of single layered TaN coatings

Single-layered TaN thin coatings were deposited on Ti6Al7Nb alloy substrates using reactive radiofrequency magnetron sputtering, with variations in target power. To assess the crystalline structure, chemical composition, and surface topography of these coatings, Grazing Incidence x-ray Diffraction (GIXRD), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) were employed, respectively. The study revealed that deposition power impacts the structure and composition of TaN coatings. Further analysis using x-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) indicated that the TaN coatings predominantly consisted of Ta and N, with trace amounts of oxygen (O 1s). Additionally, nanomechanical testing was conducted to evaluate hardness (H), modulus (E), and scratch properties. Results suggested that multiphase hex-TaN coatings exhibited superior H, E, and scratch properties compared to other cubic-structured TaN coatings. Friction and wear properties against steel balls under dry sliding conditions were determined using a ball-on-disk nanotribometer. The findings showed that mix-phase TaN coating exhibited a minimum coefficient of friction of 0.054 and a wear rate of 2.14 × 10−6 mm3/N.m. Abrasion, ploughing and oxidation were identified as the primary wear mechanism responsible for the wear of the TaN coatings.

Effect of Temperature on the Structure and Tribological Properties of Ti, TiN and Ti/TiN Coatings Deposited by Cathodic Arc PVD

Monolayers of Ti and TiN coatings, as well as a Ti/TiN bilayer coating, were deposited on AISI M2 steel substrates using the PVD cathodic arc technique. The coatings had a thickness close to 5 μm and an average roughness between 98.6 and 110.1 μm due to the presence of microdroplets on the surface. The crystalline structure of the materials was analyzed using Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXRD) with an increase in temperature to study the dynamics of oxide formation. A phase composition study was conducted using the Rietveld refinement method. At the temperatures where critical growth of titanium oxides, both anatase and rutile, was observed, pin-on-disk tests were performed to study the tribological properties of the materials at high temperatures. It was determined that the oxidation temperature of Ti is around 450 °C, promoting the formation of a combination of anatase and rutile. However, the formation of rutile inhibits the formation of anatase, which is stable above 600 °C. In contrast, TiN showed an oxidation temperature of 550 °C, with an exclusive growth of the rutile phase. The Ti/TiN bilayer exhibited mixed behavior, with the initial growth of anatase promoted by Ti, followed by the formation of rutile. Oxidation and tribo-oxidation dominated the wear behavior of the surfaces, showing a transition from mechanisms related to abrasion at low and medium temperatures to a combination of abrasion and adhesion mechanisms at high temperatures (800 °C).

Comparative analysis of microstructural, compositional, and grazing incidence characteristics of oxide scale on 316L steel: SLM vs. wrought conditions

The aim of this research is to compare the oxidation behavior and characteristics of oxide scale of 316L steel produced by two methods: selective laser melting (SLM) and conventional casting and forming (wrought). To this end, the initial composition and microstructure of samples produced by those methods were first studied. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and long-term isothermal oxidation tests were carried out on the samples and the oxidation kinetics were compared. The oxidized samples were then examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). The results indicated that in the temperature range of 600 °C–900 °C, the oxidation resistance of the SLM alloy is lower than that of the wrought alloy, especially at 800 °C. This is attributed to the combined effect of: i) smaller grain size due to the rapid solidification in the SLM alloy that increases the paths of oxygen penetration, ii) lower presence of chromium and manganese elements in the oxide layer and iii) preferential growth of iron oxide in the form of hillocks on the surface. Surface and cross-section analysis of the oxide layers show that iron oxide is dominant on the surface of the SLM sample at temperatures of 600 °C and 800 °C, and at 800 °C its extended hilly growth leads to significant spallation of the oxide scale and an exponential increase in the oxidation rate. However, at 900 °C, with the formation of a continuous oxide layer containing Fe2MnO4 and CrMnO4, the oxidation rate significantly decreases in both alloys.

Tuning infrared emissivity of GdCoO3 thin films through Fe doping: Fabrication and mechanism

Using polymer-assisted deposition technology, GdCo1-xFexO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) porous films with high infrared emissivity at high temperatures were prepared on Si (100) substrates. The composition and calcination temperature of the precursor are determined by TG-DSC. The structure and composition of the films are investigated using Grazing Incidence X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The surface morphology and elemental composition of the films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The average infrared emissivity of GdCo1-xFexO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) films at different temperatures (100–500 °C) in the range of 8–14 μm has been tested by an infrared emissivity meter. The results show that the GdCoO3 film with Fe doping concentration of 10 % exhibits the highest infrared emissivity of 0.89 at 500 °C. Possible mechanisms for the high infrared emissivity of the films at high temperatures are discussed.

Chemical Bonding and Crystal Structure Schemes in Atomic/Molecular Layer Deposited Fe-Terephthalate Thin Films.

Advanced deposition routes are vital for the growth of functional metal-organic thin films. The gas-phase atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD) technique provides solvent-free and uniform nanoscale thin films with unprecedented thickness control and allows straightforward device integration. Most excitingly, the ALD/MLD technique can enable the in situ growth of novel crystalline metal-organic materials. An exquisite example is iron-terephthalate (Fe-BDC), which is one of the most appealing metal-organic framework (MOF) type materials and thus widely studied in bulk form owing to its attractive potential in photocatalysis, biomedicine, and beyond. Resolving the chemistry and structural features of new thin film materials requires an extended selection of characterization and modeling techniques. Here we demonstrate how the unique features of the ALD/MLD grown in situ crystalline Fe-BDC thin films, different from the bulk Fe-BDC MOFs, can be resolved through techniques such as synchrotron grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Mössbauer spectroscopy, and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) and crystal structure predictions. The investigations of the Fe-BDC thin films, containing both trivalent and divalent iron, converge toward a novel crystalline Fe(III)-BDC monoclinic phase with space group C2/c and an amorphous Fe(II)-BDC phase. Finally, we demonstrate the excellent thermal stability of our Fe-BDC thin films.

Growth of high quality polycrystalline InGaO thin films by spray pyrolysis for coplanar thin-film transistors on polyimide substrate

The current mobile devices are moving towards flexible electronics. Introducing crystalline oxide semiconductors on flexible substrates is important to satisfy the requirements of high-resolution displays on flexible substrates. This study investigates the low-cost, as-grown polycrystalline (Poly) InGaO thin film transistor by spray pyrolysis on polyimide (PI) substrate. Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GI-XRD) measurements demonstrate that In0.8Ga0.2O, In0.7Ga0.3O, and In0.5Ga0.5O compositions exhibit crystallization on-set temperatures of ∼330, ∼350, and ∼415°C, respectively. Poly-In0.7Ga0.3O thin film with lower oxygen-vacancy (∼15 %) and less than 5 % O-H group could be achieved at the substrate temperature of 370°C. The hysteresis-free device performance with an average saturation mobility of 43.73 cm2V−1s−1 has been obtained using the poly-In0.7Ga0.3O with optimized N2O plasma treatment on the poly-oxide thin film. The TFTs show remarkable stability under humid environments and various stress conditions such as positive bias temperature, negative bias temperature, and mechanical stresses. In addition, the 96-stage gate shift register made of poly-In0.7Ga0.3O TFTs by spray pyrolysis exhibits the rising and falling times of less than 820 ns. Therefore, the poly-In0.7Ga0.3O TFTs by spray pyrolysis could be used for high-resolution, cost-effective, flexible active-matrix light-emitting displays.

The laser pump X-ray probe system at LISA P08 PETRA III.

Understanding and controlling the structure and function of liquid interfaces is a constant challenge in biology, nanoscience and nanotechnology, with applications ranging from molecular electronics to controlled drug release. X-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence diffraction provide invaluable probes for studying the atomic scale structure at liquid-air interfaces. The new time-resolved laser system at the LISA liquid diffractometer situated at beamline P08 at the PETRA III synchrotron radiation source in Hamburg provides a laser pump with X-ray probe. The femtosecond laser combined with the LISA diffractometer allows unique opportunities to investigate photo-induced structural changes at liquid interfaces on the pico- and nanosecond time scales with pump-probe techniques. A time resolution of 38 ps has been achieved and verified with Bi. First experiments include laser-induced effects on salt solutions and liquid mercury surfaces with static and varied time scales measurements showing the proof of concept for investigations at liquid surfaces.

Crystalline as-deposited TiO 2 anatase thin films grown from TDMAT and water using thermal atomic layer deposition with in situ layer-by-layer air annealing

We report a new thermal atomic layer deposition (thermal-ALD) process including an air exposure as a third precursor to deposit crystalline TiO2 anatase thin films from tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium(IV) (TDMAT) and water at deposition temperatures as low as 180 °C and film thicknesses as low as 10 nm. This ALD process enables TiO2-antase crystal growth during the deposition at low temperatures (< 220 °C). This additional oxidant pulse is used to fully oxidize the Ti to a 4+ state in the amorphous film, lowering the barrier to crystalline anatase formation. This new approach is informed by preliminary studies of post-deposition annealing (PDA) of thermal ALD films in both nitrogen and air atmospheres, which demonstrate the importance of having an oxidizing atmosphere to achieve the nucleation of the crystalline anatase phase. This oxidizing atmosphere is subsequently introduced into the ALD cycle as a third precursor and is shown to be more effective and efficient in promoting the crystalline transformation than even by post-deposition annealing. The crystalline anatase phase is verified by Raman spectroscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD). The mechanism for crystallization during the TDMAT/H2O/air ALD cycle is probed by chemical state analysis via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We propose that sub-oxidation in TiO2 thin films deposited by the thermal-ALD process inhibits crystallization during ALD from TDMAT/H2O chemistry. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to investigate the microstructure of these TiO2 thin films as a function of thickness (5 nm to 50 nm) and deposition temperature (180 °C to 220 °C). The reported layer-by-layer air anneal process is found to crystallize entire films in shorter total process times than thermal-ALD with ex situ post deposition annealing at identical temperatures, presumably due to the improved surface diffusion kinetics accessed during the deposition process.

Material screening for future diffusion barriers in Cu interconnects: Modeling of binary and ternary metal alloys and detailed analysis of their barrier performance

One of the challenges in the semiconductor industry is to find new barrier materials and copper (Cu) alternative solutions in interconnects. In this work, we focused to find alternative diffusion barrier materials. Different binary (CoMo, CoRu, CoTa, CoW, MoRu, RuTa, RuW) and ternary (CoMoTa, CoRuTa, MoRuTa) metal alloys were evaluated theoretically with the Miedema model to find the amorphous phase composition range. Afterward, thin films of the alloys with various compositions were deposited by magnetron sputtering and theoretical values were compared to the experimental results. From the experimental measurements, which included grazing incidence x-ray diffraction analysis and resistivity measurements, suitable binary and ternary alloys were chosen for diffusion analysis. By annealing thin film stacks at temperatures ranging from 500 to 675°C, diffusion was induced and detected by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiles. Seventeen alloys were evaluated by their diffusion barrier effectiveness, and five of those, which include Ru60Ta40, Ru45W55, Mo47Ru53, Mo36Ru50Ta14, and Co40Mo35Ta25, showed excellent barrier properties against copper diffusion. Furthermore, all of the stated materials have a lower resistivity than TaN. Last, the adhesion of the best performing alloys to SiCOH and Cu was evaluated by the modified edge lift-off test. Only Ru45W55 had reasonable adhesion at both interfaces. The other materials showed low adhesion strength to Cu, which would make an adhesion promoter (liner), such as cobalt, necessary for the integration.

Two-step process for the fabrication of direct FLG\\MoS2 heterostructures

MoS2 has proven its efficacy in flexible electronics, transistor devices, and various biological and chemical applications. However, it is still challenging to achieve large-area MoS2 monolayers with desired material quality and electrical properties to fulfill the requirement for practical applications. Moreover, the main strategy for the preparation of a 2D heterostructure it is based on the sequential stacking of the layered materials using wet or dry transfer methods which introduces many defects. This paper presents an economically viable and straightforward two-step methodology to obtain MoS2 thin films, encompassing magnetron sputtering deposition of Mo and subsequent annealing in a sulfur-rich environment. This approach successfully yielded MoS2 thin films on Si\\SiO2 substrates. Additionally, heterostructures consisting of few layer graphene (FLG) and MoS2 were directly obtained using the same method. The utilization of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction verified the formation of the hexagonal MoS2 phase, a finding further confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) investigations revealed the successful sulfurization process, with surface-bound oxides forming only subsequent to air exposure. Comprehensive assessment involving X-ray reflectivity, atomic force microscopy and XPS collectively inferred the fabrication of thin films comprised of a small number of MoS2 layers covering the entire substrate. Electrical assessments exhibited an electrical hysteresis, demonstrating its potential for memristor applications. Overall, this study outlines a cost-effective fabrication method for producing nanoscale MoS2 thin films with excellent properties, avoiding the use of toxic gases such as H2S. These findings contribute to the potential development of cutting-edge applications.

Cu-doped NiO thin film's structural, optical, and electrical properties and its negative absorption behaviour in the Infra-Red region

NiO undoped and Cu-doped thin films on FTO-coated glass (fluorine-doped tin oxide) are prepared by employing the sol-gel spin coating method. The Cu-doping effect was observed in all the characterized reports such as absorption, transmittance, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction (GIXRD), photoluminescence (PL), Raman spectra, current-voltage measurement (IV), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Enhancement in electrical conductivity due to Cu doping and IR illumination has been found. Band gap can also be tuned by varying doping concentrations. One new phenomenon called negative absorption (NA) has been found while investigating the optical properties in the infrared (IR) region for both undoped and Cu-doped NiO on the FTO substrate, which opens a new door for advanced research. The multifarious properties of NiO thin films offer various applications in many different fields.

Investigating the in-vitro bioactivity, biodegradability and drug release behavior of the newly developed PES/HA/WS biocompatible nanocomposites as bone graft substitute

The nucleation of carbonate-containing apatite on the biomaterials surface is regarded as a significant stage in bone healing process. In this regard, composites contained hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, HA), wollastonite (CaSiO3, WS) and polyethersulfone (PES) were synthesized via a simple solvent casting technique. The in-vitro bioactivity of the prepared composite films with different weight ratios of HA and WS was studied by placing the samples in the simulated body fluid (SBF) for 21 days. The results indicated that the the surface of composites containing 2 wt% HA and 4 wt% WS was completely covered by a thick bone-like apatite layer, which was characterized by Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, field emission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX). The degradation study of the samples showed that the concentration of inorganic particles could not influence the degradability of the polymeric matrix, where all samples expressed similar dexamethasone (DEX) release behavior. Moreover, the in-vitro cytotoxicity results indicated the significant cyto-compatibility of all specimens. Therefore, these findings revealed that the prepared composite films composed of PES, HA, WS and DEX could be regarded as promising bioactive candidates with low degradation rate for bone tissue engineering applications.

Interactions of Brominated Flame Retardants with Membrane Models of Dehalogenating Bacteria: Langmuir Monolayer and Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction Studies.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are small organic molecules containing several bromine substituents added to plastics to limit their flammability. BFRs can constitute up to 30% of the weight of some plastics, which is why they are produced in large quantities. Along with plastic waste and microplastic particles, BFRs end up in the soil and can easily leach causing contamination. As polyhalogenated molecules, multiple BFRs were classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), meaning that their biodegradation in the soils is especially challenging. However, some anaerobic bacteria as Dehaloccocoides can dehalogenate BFRs, which is important in the bioremediation of contaminated soils. BFRs are hydrophobic, can accumulate in plasma membranes, and disturb their function. On the other hand, limited membrane accumulation is necessary for BFR dehalogenation. To study the BFR-membrane interaction, we created membrane models of soil dehalogenating bacteria and tested their interactions with seven legacy and novel BFRs most common in soils. Phospholipid Langmuir monolayers with appropriate composition were used as membrane models. These membranes were doped in the selected BFRs, and the incorporation of BFR molecules into the phospholipid matrix and also the effects of BFR presence on membrane physical properties and morphology were studied. It turned out that the seven BFRs differed significantly in their membrane affinity. For some, the incorporation was very limited, and others incorporated effectively and could affect membrane properties, while one of the tested molecules induced the formation of bilayer domains in the membranes. Thus, Langmuir monolayers can be effectively used for pretesting BFR membrane activity.