Polycapillary optics are utilized in a wide variety of applications and are integral components in many state of the art instruments. Polycapillary optics operate by collecting X-rays and efficiently propagating them by total external reflection to form focused and parallel beams. We discuss the general parameters for designing these optics and provide specific examples on balancing the interrelations of beam flux, source size, focal spot-size, and beam divergence. The development of compact X-ray sources with characteristics tailored to match the requirements of polycapillary optics allows substantial reduction in size, weight, and power of complete X-ray systems. These compact systems have enabled the development of portable, remote, and in-line sensors for applications in industry, science and medicine. We present examples of the utility and potential of these optics for enhancing a wide variety of X-ray analyses.

Multilayer optics is one of the widely applied optics for conditioning an X-ray beam in the region of X-ray diffraction. Multilayer optics offers a well-balanced performance. The beam conditioned by a multilayer optic is characterized by low divergence, good spectrum purity, and high intensity. This article will start with a short historical note of the development of X-ray multilayer and a summary on the basic performance characteristics of X-ray multilayer, then move on to the discussion on the design principle of one- and two-dimensional optics. Both parallel beam optics and focusing optics will be addressed. As examples, selected applications of multilayer optics are also briefly discussed. Finally, the main problems associated with the application of multilayer optics are identified and the future developments are discussed.

The performance of a tapered, monocapillary optic was compared to double-pinhole optics by measuring the intensity and widths of powder diffraction peaks generated using Cr Kα and Cu Kα X-rays (46 kV, 46 mA). A microdiffractometer and curved image-plate system was used to collect diffraction patterns displayed by an alumina intensity standard. A monocapillary optic with a 20 μm beam width (measured at half the maximum intensity, FWHM) was compared to collimating pinhole optics with two apertures: one with 30 μm diameter pinholes and another with 50 μm pinholes. The average, integrated intensity of the diffraction peaks in the patterns collected using the 20 μm monocapillary optic was 6 to 7 times greater than the average diffraction intensity obtained with the 50 μm pinhole collimator and 25 times greater than the intensity obtained with the 30 μm collimator. The average increase in the FWHM of the diffraction peaks in the patterns obtained with the monocapillary optic was ∼2 times greater than the pinhole collimators.

Doubly curved crystal (DCC) X-ray optics provide an enabling technology for new portable, remote, and in situ applications of monochromatic X-rays for composition and structure analysis of amorphous, polycrystalline, and crystalline solids. Femtogram sensitivity for surface contamination, parts-per-billion (ppb) impurity levels for solids, and composition, structure and uniformity of thin films with compact, low power (20–50 W) source optic combinations are possible.

Diffraction peak profiles broaden due to the smallness of crystallites and the presence of lattice defects. Strain broadening of powders of polycrystalline materials is often anisotropic in terms of the hkl indices. This kind of strain anisotropy has been shown to be well interpreted assuming dislocations as one of the major sources of lattice distortions. The knowledge of the dislocation contrast factors are inevitable for this interoperation. In a previous work the theoretical contrast factors were evaluated for cubic crystals for elastic constants in the Zener constant range 0.5≤Az≤8. A large number of ionic crystals and many refractory metals have elastic anisotropy, Az, well below 0.5. In the present work the contrast factors for this lower anisotropy-constant range are investigated. The calculations and the corresponding peak profile analysis are tested on ball milled PbS and Nb and nanocrystalline CeO2.

Most electrolytic zinc plants have to deal with dissolved magnesium in their process liquors, as zinc sulphide concentrates contain small amounts of magnesium. Applied magnesium bleed methods are generally expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Recently, a new approach was suggested and discussed, which involves selective magnesium fluoride precipitation from purified zinc sulphate solutions. X-ray fluorescence measurements of these precipitates indicated that the ratio Mg:F is not 1:2 as would be expected if the precipitate was MgF2, which should be formed on a theoretical basis. It was inferred that fluoride was partly substituted by hydroxyl groups. Analytical techniques such as infrared absorption spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetry were combined in order to verify this hypothesis. The precipitate indeed appeared to be a magnesium fluoro- hydroxide compound containing physically bound water. The results contribute to the understanding of the required operating conditions of the proposed process.

In this study we deal with the determination of crystallite-size distribution and microstrain measurement in austempered ductile irons (ADI) subjected to cold deformation, by means of x-ray diffraction line broadening. The deformation process imposed on the material yields the formation of microstrain and crystallite size domains within each grain, which are somehow related to the mechanical behavior of the alloy. Three series of samples were cold-worked from 2.5% to 20.0% of thickness reduction in order to determine the domain size and microstrain induced in the material, in terms of the original thickness of the castings and the percentage of cold work. The x-ray diffraction line-broadening effects were analyzed by means of the Warren–Averbach method, which allowed the separation of size and strain parameters. The particle size distribution resulted in an average column length in the range of 15.7–24.9 nm in the ferrite phase, while the austenite phase showed values varying between 13.4 and 36.3 nm. On the other side, the overall root mean square strain varied from 0.000 85 to 0.003 93 for ferrite and from 0.000 65 to 0.004 38 for austenite. In all of the studied cases the average column length decreased with increasing deformation, while the initial thickness of the cast samples did not show any clear correlation with increasing deformation.

X-ray diffraction techniques have been applied to study the crystallization of poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalate), PEN. Uniaxial and biaxial orientation of amorphous cast PEN films resulted in stress-induced crystallization of the triclinic α-PEN polymorph. Annealing of the amorphous PEN samples in the range of 160–240 °C produced thermally induced crystallization of α-PEN. Slow cooling of amorphous PEN from the melt state generated α-PEN as well as the triclinic β-PEN polymorph.

The structure of a new iodate, (LiFe1/3)(IO3)2, has been determined. The new compound has a hexagonal structure with the lattice parameters a=5.4632(2) Å, c=5.0895(6) Å, Z=1. The density is 4.70 g cm−3. Rietveld refinement confirms that the compound has a space group of P63 (173). Fe and Li atoms randomly distribute on the 2a cation site.

In this work we present results of X-ray diffraction using powder method, on natural alexandrite samples from Minas Gerais State (Brazil), as a function of a sequence of annealing. From these measurements we determine lattice parameters before (a=9.405 Å, b=5.471 Å, c=4.409 Å) and after annealing, and its structure is confirmed as orthorhombic. Measurements done after an annealing of 15 minutes at 700 °C and for 5 hours at 1000 °C indicate the migration of atoms present in the sample through different phases, which were also identified by Microprobe Analysis (WDS). However we have verified that such migration does not modify the structure. X-ray diffraction measurements have been carried out in conjunction with optical absorption in the UV–Vis as a function of annealing.

Five transition metal derivatives of maleic acid with general formula, M2+(C4H3O4−)2⋅4H2O (M2+=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn) were prepared by slow evaporation of the aqueous solution at room temperature. Their X-ray powder diffraction patterns were recorded and evaluated. These materials are isostructural and crystallize in a triclinic unit cell. The volume of the cells vary linearly between that of the Ni complex [V=314.65(7) Å3: a=5.1769(8) Å, b=7.317(1) Å, c=9.140(2) Å, α=108.42(2)°, β=104.61(1)°, γ=92.87(1)°] and the volume of the Mn-derivative [V=330.30(8) Å3: a=5.322(1) Å, b=7.375(1) Å, c=9.752(2) Å, α=115.48(2)°, β=106.64(2)°, γ=86.63(2)°].

The crystal structures of two manganese hexacyanometallates(II), Mn2[Fe(CN)6].8H2O and Mn2[Os(CN)6].8H2O, were refined from X-ray powder diffraction data using the Rietveld method, with the reported structure for Mn2[Ru(CN)6].8H2O used as a structural model. These compounds are isomorphous and crystallize in the monoclinic space group P21/n. Their crystallization water is not firmly bound and can be removed without disrupting the M–C≡N–Mn network. In the dehydrated complexes, the outer cation (Mn) remains linked to only three N atoms from CN ligands while the inner cation (Fe,Os) preserves its coordination sphere. The IR, Raman, and Mössbauer spectra for the hydrated and anhydrous forms are explained based on the refined structures.

Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) data were collected for La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 prepared through an alternative method from a stoichiometric mixture of Mn2O3, La2O3, and SrO2, fired at 1300 °C for 16 h. XRD analysis using the Rietveld method was carried out and it was found that manganite has rhombohedral symmetry (space group R3c). The lattice parameters are found to be a=5.5032 Å and c=13.3674 Å. The bond valence computation indicates that the initial inclusion of Sr occurs at higher temperature.

The workshop was aimed at demonstrating the uses and methods of analysis of powder diffraction data collected from X-ray sources. There were around 35 participants in the workshop from Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentine. The participants came from inorganic and organic chemistry, physics, mineralogy and materials science backgrounds, and additionally we had attendees from a local cement company.

A poster session was held during the Annual Spring Meeting of the International Centre for Diffraction Data on 20 March 2002. Abstracts of the posters are reproduced in the following. The underlined authors can be contacted for more information.