Bedzyk's research group develops novel X-ray probes for atomic-scale characterization of surfaces, interfaces, ultra-thin-films and nanostructures. In addition to using an in-house X-ray lab, they make extensive use of synchrotron X-ray facilities, where there is greatly enhanced chemical and structural sensitivity for studying systems as dilute as one-hundredth of an atomic monolayer.

Bedzyk employs various conventional X-ray scattering and spectroscopy techniques, and have developed a number of novel methods for generating X-ray standing waves with differing characteristic length scales. These periodic X-ray probes are used to pinpoint the lattice location of adsorbate atoms on crystalline surfaces, to measure strain within epitaxially grown semiconductor and ferroelectric thin films, to locate heavy atoms within ordered ultrathin organic films, and to study polyion adsorption at charged liquid/solid interfaces.