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On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature
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Spherical quartz crystals investigated with synchrotron radiation
N R Pereira1, A T Macrander2, K W Hill3
1Ecopulse, Inc., 7844 Vervain Ct., Springfield, Virginia 22152, USA.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|November 2, 2015
Summary
Examining alpha-quartz crystals for X-ray diffraction revealed localized imperfections affecting image quality. Excluding these problem areas minimally impacted focus, reducing background noise in plasma X-ray spectroscopy.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Crystallography
- Plasma Physics
Background:
- Spherical crystals are crucial for X-ray spectroscopy in plasma diagnostics.
- Crystal diffraction quality directly impacts X-ray spectra and image resolution.
- Understanding diffraction variations across crystal surfaces is essential for optimizing performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the X-ray diffraction quality of spherical alpha-quartz crystals.
- To investigate the impact of localized diffraction imperfections on focusing.
- To evaluate the utility of synchrotron radiation for crystal characterization.
Main Methods:
- Utilized synchrotron radiation for its energy selectivity and high intensity.
- Employed a perpendicular geometry for convenient examination of sagittal focusing.
- Analyzed diffraction patterns across the entire surface of alpha-quartz crystals.
Main Results:
- Identified isolated regions with non-ideal local diffraction.
- Observed no correlation between diffraction problems and visible crystal imperfections.
- Found that excluding problematic diffraction regions had a minor effect on focus, primarily reducing background.
Conclusions:
- Localized diffraction imperfections exist in spherical alpha-quartz crystals.
- These imperfections do not significantly degrade focusing capabilities when excluded.
- Synchrotron-based analysis provides a sensitive method for evaluating crystal diffraction quality for plasma X-ray applications.
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