Analytical Techniques for Characterization of Oxide-based Materials

This chapter will cover recent developments in selected analytical techniques that can provide precise characterization of oxide-based materials. The ability to control the physical properties of novel materials, by controlling the crystallographic structure, arrangement of atoms inside the sample’s volume and along the surface taking into account point defects, is of crucial importance nowadays from both fundamental and applied research points of view. In the vast majority of cases, a single measurement method is not sufficient to provide metrological precision during complex materials’ analysis, and therefore, analytical techniques that complement and support each other are used. Frequently, a combination of optical methods, X-ray methods, ion beam methods, and surface probing ones is required to ensure amply informative and accurate results. Consequently, the objective of this chapter is to highlight the capabilities of selected techniques for the determination of the key structural and material parameters.