X-ray Diffraction is commonly used non-destructive technique to determine crystallite phase of micro-crystalline powders and thin films, for texture analysis (polycrystallite orientation) and to determine residual stress/strain.

High resolution X-ray Diffraction (HRXRD) is applicable to single crystal materials, for high precision lattice parameter measurement, and to determine the composition, thickness and quality of epitaxial layers, including multilayers.

A wide range of XRD instrumental configurations and data analysis approaches are available to suit the application, for example pole figure plots to analyse polycrystal orientation, and double-crystal rocking curve measurement in conjunction with full dynamical simulations to quantify epitaxial layers.

Triple crystal reciprocal space map (004 reflection) from a 2 micron epitaxial SiGe virtual substrate layer on a silicon wafer. The X and Y coordinates relate to crystal tilt and lattice parameter respectively