What is XRD?

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a technique used to determine the atomic and molecular structure of a crystalline material. The sample is bombarded with X-rays, and the angles and intensities of the diffracted beams are measured. These measurements are then used to produce a three-dimensional picture of the density of electrons within the material, which can be used to determine the positions of the atoms, as well as their chemical bonds, and other information about the material. It is commonly used for material identification, phase analysis, and structure refinement.