Energy Dispersive X-Ray Diffraction (ED-XRD)
Polychromatic, fixed-geometry diffraction with energy-resolved detection.
Also known as: energy-dispersive diffraction (EDD), polychromatic XRD, white-beam XRD, energy-dispersive Laue diffraction (ED-Laue).
Energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD), uses a broad X-ray spectrum and extracts diffraction information from photon energy rather than scanning angle.
A pnCCD based Colour X-Ray Camera (CXC) enables ED-XRD because it records both the energy and position of each detected photon. This supports energy–angle resolved diffraction analysis from a single acquisition.
Why use a polychromatic approach
Conventional XRD often uses monochromatic beams and angle scanning. ED-XRD can keep a fixed geometry and use the available spectrum to access diffraction information without a goniometer scan.
Key points
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Fixed measurement geometry
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Diffraction features measured as energy-dependent structure
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No monochromator scan required during acquisition
How the CXC enables ED-XRD
With a polychromatic beam, diffraction features appear at specific energies under Bragg’s condition for the detector geometry. A position-only area detector cannot resolve energy. An energy-only point detector cannot capture the spatial diffraction distribution.
The CXC provides a combined dataset where each event includes position and energy. This allows diffraction information to be analysed in energy/angle space from a single measurement.
Key points
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Energy and position captured in one dataset
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Energy-tagged diffraction features without angle scanning
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Event-level data supports flexible post-processing
Cleaner diffraction in the presence of fluorescence
In many materials, fluorescence and scatter sit on top of diffraction features in energy-only spectra. This makes peak interpretation difficult, especially when fluorescence lines overlap diffraction energies.
Because diffraction is spatially structured on the detector while fluorescence is largely spatially smooth, the CXC dataset allows diffraction features to be isolated more robustly for diffraction analysis.
Key points
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Reduced ambiguity when fluorescence overlaps diffraction energies
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Cleaner diffraction extraction in complex samples
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Less reliance on external suppression methods
Typical outputs
ED-XRD measurements can produce energy-resolved diffraction patterns that support phase-related interpretation from a static geometry. The exact outputs depend on geometry and analysis approach.
Key points
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Energy-resolved diffraction profile
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Diffraction feature sets for phase comparison
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Repeatable acquisition without scanning angle
Learn more
If you are interested in ED-XRD with a polychromatic beam, please contact us to discuss geometry, source spectrum, and analysis requirements.
If you are specifically looking for commercially available systems built on this core technology, explore our range of Colour X-Ray Camera (CXC) products here.