Over the last 100 years since the first discovery of X-rays, X- ray diffraction of polycrystalline powders have grown into a very precise, widely applicable and definite tool for characterisation of materials, be it synthetic or natural. The discrete Bragg diffraction peaks which contain the information as regards the crystallite size, strain, stacking fault and order-disorder phenomena have been exploited to the utter satisfaction of the researchers working in the field of new materials synthesis and preparation. With the advent of Rietveld method of profile fitting analysis it has now been possible to identify seven to eight phases in a compound quantitatively. Thin films, nanocrystalline and refractory materials are some of the exotic materials which have been characterised by using X-ray diffraction as a tool. Data on Bi2S3, PbS, CDS and their alloy films, nickel silicide films grown on silicon substrate and some refractory carbide, boride and nitrides will be presented. These data have been utilised to find out the structural parameters, crystallite size and strain which speak of the disorderness present in these specimen. In case of nickel-silicide these data have been correlated with resistivity studies to find out the mechanism of silicide formation and the behaviour of electrical conduction in these films.
Publication Source: Trends in NDE Science & Technology; Proceedings of the 14th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, New Delhi, 8-13 December 1996.Vol. 2, pages 893 - 896 Publisher:Ashgate Publishing Company
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