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X-Ray Structural Characterization

Shared facility operated by the Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience (NCMN). The  Facility is dedicated to materials identification and characterization through non-destructive, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) technique. The specific applications include Powder diffraction, x-ray reflectometry, small angle scattering, pole figure, reciprocal space mapping, Grazing incidence in-plane diffraction, x-ray crystallography etc.  Non-ambient powder and single crystal diffraction is also available at selected temperature range.

Facility Type: 

Instruments

  1. Bruker Photon 100 Single Crystal Diffractometer

    Smart Apex Single Crystal Diffractometer  is a dedicated instrument for Crystallography studies (absolute structure determination using a single crystal sample).  This instrument delivers intense, monochromatic beam of Mo Kalpha radiation (0.7107 Å) produced using Graphite monochromator from a sealed Mo X-ray tube and collimated with a pinhole collimator.

  2. Bruker-AXS D8 Discover Diffractometer

    This also is state-of-the-art machine including Vantec-500 area detector, centric 1/4-circle Eulerian cradle, domed hot stage, hi-flux in-plane hardware, laser/video sample-alignment system, Göbel mirror, fine tilt stage, and dual-beam path analyzer module.

  3. PANalytical Empyrean Diffractometer

    Empyream is a dedicated powder diffractometer with advanced detection capabilities.  It is equipped with PIXcel 3D detector that can be operated with 0D, 1D and 2D detection capabilities.  This instrument consists of 3 kW copper target and theta-theta goniometer.  The samples can be placed in zero-background holder and the holder remains horizontal as well as it can be spun continuously during the scan.

  4. Rigaku D/Max-B Diffractometer

    X-Rays are produced by a 1.8 kW, sealed tube Cobalt target. The diffracted beam then converges (is “focused”) into a diffracted beam monochromator which removes all radiation except the Co Kalpha wavelength (about 1.7903 Å) which then enters a scintillation counter. The sample and detector are rotated with respect to the incident beam at angles theta and 2theta respectively. A typical XRD scan consists of a plot of detector angle (2theta) vs.

  5. Rigaku Multiflex Diffractometer

    This instrument consists of 2 kW copper target and theta-theta goniometer.  The sample holder remains horizontal during the scan and therefore, there is no need to use adhesive substances to mount samples on to a low background sample holder plate.  Similar to D/max-B, Rigaku Multiflex is also configured in focusing geometry where a secondary monochromator removes the scattered signal except that corresponding to Cu Kalpha wavelength.  Pre-aligned sample holder and friendly operating software makes the powder diffraction experiments very easy with this instrument.

  6. Rigaku SmartLab Diffractometer

    This is a state-of-the-art instrument including a dedicated arm for detector movement in-plane and perpendicular to the sample surface, thereby able to probe structure in both directions without tilting the sample.  The instrument is equipped with cross beam optics device hardware that will allow switching between focussing (BB) and the parallel beam (PB) geometries easily.  SmartLab guidance software helps the optics and sample alignment automated and prepares optimum scan conditions.  SmartLab can be configured for grazing-incidence in-plane XRD, grazing-incidence XRD, x-ray reflectivity,