The long and successful history of Malvern Panalytical's Materials Research Diffractometers (MRD) continues with a new generation – X’Pert³ MRD and X’Pert³ MRD XL. The improved performance and reliability of the new platform have added more analytical capability and power for X-ray scattering studies in:
• advanced materials science
• scientific and industrial thin film technology
• metrological characterization in semiconductor process development
Both systems handle the same wide range of applications with full wafer mapping up to 100 mm (X’Pert³ MRD) or 200 mm (X’Pert³ MRD XL).
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The X'Pert³ MRD systems offer advanced and innovative X-ray diffraction solutions from research to process development and process control. The used technologies make all systems field upgradable to all existing options and new developments in hardware and software to come.
The standard research and development version for use with thin film samples, wafers (complete mapping up to 100 mm) and solid materials. High-resolution analysis capability is improved by the outstanding accuracy of a new high-resolution goniometer using Heidenhain encoders.
The X'Pert³ MRD XL meets all the high-resolution XRD analysis requirements of the semiconductors, thin films, and advanced materials industries. Complete wafer mapping up to 200 mm is possible. The X’Pert3 version comes with longest liftetime of incident beam components (CRISP) and maximum uptime with pneumatic shutters and beam attenuators.
By facilitating analysis of wafers of up to 300 mm in diameter, with a sophisticated, automatic wafer loader option, the X'Pert³ MRD XL becomes an advanced tool for quality control of industrial thin layered structures.
The X'Pert³ Extended MRD (XL) brings increased versatility to the range of X'Pert³ MRD systems. An extra PreFIX mounting platform allows mounting of an X-ray mirror and a high-resolution monochromator in-line, increasing significantly the intensity of the incident beam.
One can benefit from increased application versatility without compromise on data quality, high-resolution X-ray diffraction with high intensities, shorter measurement times for measurements such as reciprocal space mapping and rebuild from standard to extended configuration in minutes thanks to the PreFIX concept. With the 2nd generation PreFIX, reconfiguring is easy and optics positioning is more accurate than ever.
With the X'Pert³ MRD (XL) system for in-plane diffraction, it becomes possible to measure diffraction from lattice planes that are perpendicular to the sample surface.
Standard and in-plane geometries on one system and a wide range of diffraction experiments on polycrystalline and highly perfect thin films, are just two of many benefits.
| Enclosure | Goniometer | X-ray source/ Detectors/Stages |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions: 1370 (w) x 1131 (d) x 1947 (h) mm | Horizontal goniometer | Fully ceramic X-ray tubes manufactured by Malvern Panalytical’s specialized factory under cleanroom conditions |
| Weight: 1150 kg | Radius: 320mm | Tool free swap of line to point focus |
| Maximum usable range (depending on accessories) -40°< 2θ <160° | 3 kW generator supporting all current and future X-ray tubes | |
| Meets all relevant worldwide regulations for electrical, mechanical and X-ray safety, with all anode types | Direct optical encoding system for lifetime goniometer accuracy, using precisely aligned Heidenhain encoders | Hybrid pixel detectors with smallest pixel size (55 x 55 µm2) available on the market |
| System is on wheels for easy installation and relocation | Long range accuracy: ±0.0025° | 5-axes cradle with 100 x 100 mm2 x, y translation |
| Short range (0.5°) accuracy: ±0.0004°
| Chi rotation: ±92° | |
| Angular reproducibility: < 0.0002°
| Phi rotation: 2 x 360° | |
| Smallest increment: 0.0001°
|
The PIXcel3D is a unique 2D solid-state hybrid pixel detector. Each pixel is 55 microns x 55 microns and the detector array is 256 x 256 pixels. The detector, now based on Medipix3 technology, brings unrivalled signal to noise with its point spread function of one pixel and multiple energy discrimination levels.
To assure that your instrument remains in top condition and performs on
the highest level, Malvern Panalytical offers a wide range of services. Our Expertise
and support services assure an optimal functioning of your instrument.
Service for a lifetime
• Phone and remote support
• Preventive maintenance and checkups
• Flexible Customer Care Agreements
• Performance certificates
• Hardware and software upgrades
• Local and global support
Adding value to your processes
• Sample preparation development/optimization
• Analytical methodologies
• Turnkey solutions for XRD
• Operations via IQ/OQ/PQ, quality assurance (GLP, ISO17025) or round robins/inter laboratory studies
• Automation of lab processes
• Consultancy services
• Training on-site or at our competence centers
• Broad range of basic and advanced courses on products, applications and software
The Malvern Panalytical X’Pert³ MRD and MRD XL are all-in-one X-ray solution systems that can be used in many industry applications, including:
Semiconductors and single crystal wafers
Whether for growth studies or device design, the measurement of layer quality, thickness, strain and alloy composition using high-resolution XRD has been at the heart of research and development in electronic and optoelectronic multilayer semiconductor devices. With a choice of X-ray mirrors, monochromators and detectors, the X’Pert3 MRD and MRD XL offer high-resolution configurations to suit different materials systems ranging from lattice matched semiconductors, through relaxed buffer layers on to novel exotic layers on non-standard substrates
Polycrystalline solids and thin films
Polycrystalline layers and coatings are an important component of many thin films and multilayer devices. The evolution of polycrystalline layer morphology during deposition is a key study area in functional materials research and development. X’Pert3 MRD and X’Pert3 MRD XL can be fully equipped with a range of slits, parallel beam X-ray mirror, polycapillary lens, crossed slits and monocapillaries to give the full choice of incident beam optics for reflectometry, stress, texture and phase ID.
Ultra-thin films, nanomaterials and amorphous layers
Functional devices may contain disordered, amorphous or nanocomposite thin films. The flexibility of the X’Pert3 MRD and MRD XL systems allow for the incorporation of multiple analytical methods. A range of high-resolution optics, slits and parallel plate collimators are available to give the optimum performance for grazing incidence methods, in-plane diffraction and reflectometry.
Measurement under non-ambient conditions
Studying the behavior of materials under a variety of conditions is an essential part of materials research and process development. The X’Pert3 MRD and MRD XL are designed for the easy incorporation of the DHS1100 non-ambient sample stage from Anton Paar, enabling automated measurementsunder a range of temperatures and inert atmosphere
Instrument gives excellent accuracy and is of good quality.Good intensity and rapid performance. It is easy to operate.
Yifan Zheng — Zhejiang University of Technology
