The CCMR has a suite of X-ray diffraction tools to probe materials for atomic structure. Diffraction patterns of powders or solid samples can be compared to an extensive database. Our instrumentation can provide sample information such as mixed mineral contents, atomic phase of metals or ceramics, microstructure sizes and strains, and more. 

The Bruker D8 Advance ECO Powder Diffractometer can quickly measure powder samples and the X-ray diffraction patterns from any powder particles aligned to enable diffraction. Spectra can be used to identify materials and phases, and peak locations and widths can be used to calculate strain and mean crystallite sizes (< 100nm). The instrument uses a Cu K-alpha X-ray source which is not suitable for samples with significant Fe content. Typical sample volumes are greater than 80 µL of powdered material, with domain sizes less than 300 microns. 

The Bruker D8 General Area Detector Diffraction (GADDS) System is a versatile diffractometer which can be used to readily survey polycrystalline samples with unknown partial orientation (known as texture) and spatial variation. Standard operation of the GADDS uses Cu K-alpha radiation and can occasionally be switched to a Cobalt source to eliminate noise from Fe-bearing samples.

The Rigaku SmartLab X-ray Diffractometer can perform a number of measurements due to the various instrument capabilities with interchangeable stages and optical components. This instrument enables you to obtain automated X-Y mapping of wafers, full pole figures, texture analysis, measurements up to 1100°C in air or in vacuum, rocking curves, crystal quality measurements, stress measurements, and more.

The Multiwire Back-Reflection Laue detector is ideal for single crystal samples. The instrument will allow you to determine if a sample is a single crystal or not, and if so the orientation of a crystal surface relative to a primary crystallographic direction can be determined to within 0.2 degrees.