X-Ray Characterisation Techniques

The present chapter discusses the theory of X-rays characterisation methods in material science, based on the interaction of X-rays with matter through absorption and scattering. In particular, the theoretical aspects of X-ray diffraction and scattering are introduced and the concepts of small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) are explained. As the main characterisation technique used in this work, focus is set on the application of this technique on cylindrical ion tracks and the analysis of the SAXS patterns to extract their size and density profile.