The X-ray characterization capabilities at MCL include XRF, XRD, XPS.
• The X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) provides surface analysis at 20 to 40 Angstrom units depth. XPS can be used for identification of compounds, determination of oxidation states of constituents, chemical speciation, and depth profiling.
• X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) is a nondestructive method for the qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis. The sample is irradiated, causing the emission of fluorescent x-rays to emerge from the sample. The x-rays are collected and displayed in a spectrum according to energy dispersive or wavelength dispersive.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD) takes advantages of the coherent scattering of x-rays by polycrystalline materials to obtain a wide range of quantitative and qualitative structural information. The x-rays are scattered by each set of lattice planes at a characteristic angle, and the scattered intensity is a function of the atoms which occupy those planes. Distortions in the lattice planes due to stress, solid solution, or other effects can be measured.