X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Analysis

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a powerful nondestructive technique for characterizing crystalline materials. It provides information on structures, phases, preferred crystal orientations (texture), and other structural parameters, such as average grain size, crystallinity, strain, and crystal defects. X-ray diffraction peaks are produced by constructive interference of a monochromatic beam of x-rays scattered at specific angles from each set of lattice planes in a sample. The peak intensities are determined by the distribution of atoms within the lattice. Consequently, the x-ray diffraction pattern is the fingerprint of periodic atomic arrangements in a given material. A search of the ICDD standard database of x-ray diffraction patterns enables quick phase identification for a large variety of crystalline samples.

Evans Analytical Group's® (EAG) multiple XRD systems are equipped with optical modules that can be exchanged, depending on the analysis requirement, without affecting the accuracy of positioning. It is simple to change between line and point focus of the x-ray tube, enabling simple switching from a regular XRD configuration to a high-resolution XRD configuration. Different combinations of optical modules enable the analysis of powders, coatings, thin films, slurries, fabricated parts, or epitaxial films.

Main Applications of XRD Analysis

• Identification/quantification of crystalline phase
• Measurement of average crystallite size, strain, or micro-strain effects in bulk and thin-film samples
• Quantification of preferred orientation (texture) in thin films, multi-layer stacks, and manufactured parts
• Determination of the ratio of crystalline to amorphous material in bulk materials and thin-film samples

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