Materials science

XRF and XRD for elemental and phase analysis

Governments and industry collectively invest billions of dollars every year into the research and development of advanced materials. This work involves study of the characteristics and uses of various substances, such as metals, ceramics, and plastics, that are employed in applications ranging from space science and defense technology to consumer products. X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a primary technique for the study advanced materials, including investigation of the following properties: identification and quantification of phases, determination of the degree of crystallinity in phases, crystallographic structure, crystal orientation and texture, residual stress analysis, thin film thickness and properties, pore sizes, as well as much more. The influence of non-ambient conditions on these properties is also routinely studied with the XRD technique. Investigations may be carried out on samples of varying types, from powders, to solid materials of varying shapes and size, to solutions and semiconductor wafers. Rigaku technology and expertise provide a number of unique solutions for materials science applications.