Recently, there has been significant interest in applying machine learning (ML) techniques to X-ray scattering experiments, which proves to be a valuable tool for enhancing research that involves large or rapidly generated datasets. ML allows for the automated interpretation of experimental results, particularly those obtained from synchrotron or neutron facilities. The speed at which ML models can process data presents an important opportunity to establish a closed-loop feedback system, enabling real-time decision-making based on online data analysis. In this study, we describe the incorporation of ML into a closed-loop workflow for X-ray reflectometry (XRR), using the growth of organic thin films as an example. Our focus lies on the beamline integration of ML-based online data analysis and closed-loop feedback. We present solutions that provide an elementary data analysis in real time during the experiment without introducing the additional software dependencies in the beamline control software environment. Our data demonstrates the accuracy and robustness of ML methods for analyzing XRR curves and Bragg reflections and its autonomous control over a vacuum deposition setup.

In transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM) systems, the rotation of a scanned sample might be restricted to a limited angular range to avoid collision to other system parts or high attenuation at certain tilting angles. Image reconstruction from such limited angle data suffers from artifacts due to missing data. In this work, deep learning is applied to limited angle reconstruction in TXMs for the first time. With the challenge to obtain sufficient real data for training, training a deep neural network from synthetic data is investigated. Particularly, the U-Net, the state-of-the-art neural network in biomedical imaging, is trained from synthetic ellipsoid data and multi-category data to reduce artifacts in filtered back-projection (FBP) reconstruction images. The proposed method is evaluated on synthetic data and real scanned chlorella data in $100^\circ$ limited angle tomography. For synthetic test data, the U-Net significantly reduces root-mean-square error (RMSE) from $2.55 \times 10^{-3}$ {\mu}m$^{-1}$ in the FBP reconstruction to $1.21 \times 10^{-3}$ {\mu}m$^{-1}$ in the U-Net reconstruction, and also improves structural similarity (SSIM) index from 0.625 to 0.920. With penalized weighted least square denoising of measured projections, the RMSE and SSIM are further improved to $1.16 \times 10^{-3}$ {\mu}m$^{-1}$ and 0.932, respectively. For real test data, the proposed method remarkably improves the 3-D visualization of the subcellular structures in the chlorella cell, which indicates its important value for nano-scale imaging in biology, nanoscience and materials science.