The Materials Research X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) Facility at the University of Colorado Boulder provides cutting-edge capabilities for probing the structures of materials such as polymers, biological macromolecules, meso- and nano-porous materials, and molecular self-assemblies with length scales in the range 2 Å – 1000 Å using conventional and grazing-incidence SAXS and WAXS.

This Forvis instrument is built on a 20' optical table with a sliding-door radiation enclosure. The X-ray generator is a microfocus, sealed-tube source and the incident beam is collimated using multilayer mirrors and motorized, scatter-free slits. The temperature-controlled sample stage allows manual or motorized control of sample rotation, translation (x-y-z) and tilt. 

Background scattering is minimized through the use of an evacuated flight path and vacuum-compatible motorized slits. Techniques that can be applied to study materials include SAXS, GISAXS, WAXS, and GIWAXS. The 30 W Xenocs Genix 3D X-ray source and state-of-the-art Dectris Eiger R 1M detector provide an excellent way to probe almost any material of interest. In-situ X-ray studies may be carried out using temperature controlled sample holders in both SAXS and GISAXS modes.