In the early 1960s, scientists achieved the breakthroughs in the fields of solid surfaces and artificial layered structures. The advancement of surface science has been supported by the advent of ultra-high vacuum technologies, newly discovered and established scanning probe microscopy with atomic resolution, as well as some other advanced surface-sensitive spectroscopy and microscopy. On the other hand, it has been well recognized that a number of functions are related to the structures of the interfaces, which are the thin planes connecting different materials, most likely by layering thin films. Despite the scientific significance, so far, research on such buried layers and interfaces has been limited, because the probing depth of almost all existing sophisticated analytical methods is limited to the top surface. The present article describes the recent progress in the nanometer scale analysis of buried layers and interfaces, particularly by using X-rays and neutrons. The methods are essentially promising to non-destructively probe such buried structures in thin films. The latest scientific research has been reviewed, and includes applications to bio-chemical, organic, electronic, magnetic, spintronic, self-organizing and complicated systems as well as buried liquid–liquid and solid–liquid interfaces. Some emerging analytical techniques and instruments, which provide new attractive features such as imaging and real time analysis, are also discussed.

20世纪60年代初，科学家在固体表面和人工层状结构领域取得了突破。超高真空技术、新发现和建立的具有原子分辨率的扫描探针显微镜以及其他一些先进的表面敏感光谱和显微镜的出现支持了表面科学的进步。另一方面，人们已经充分认识到许多功能与界面结构有关，界面是连接不同材料的薄平面，很可能是通过分层薄膜实现的。尽管具有科学意义，但迄今为止，对此类埋层和界面的研究仍然有限，因为几乎所有现有复杂分析方法的探测深度都仅限于顶面。本文介绍了埋层和界面纳米级分析的最新进展，特别是使用 X 射线和中子进行分析。这些方法本质上有望非破坏性地探测薄膜中的此类埋入结构。回顾了最新的科学研究，包括生物化学、有机、电子、磁、自旋电子、自组织和复杂系统以及埋藏液-液和固-液界面的应用。还讨论了一些新兴的分析技术和仪器，它们提供了新的有吸引力的功能，例如成像和实时分析。