X-ray diffraction system

Rigaku has introduced a compact, fully integrated high-resolution X-ray diffraction system, the Rigaku Rapid II. The latest member of the Rapid family of large area curved imaging plate (IP) detectors, the Rapid II combines every component needed for a high-performance X-ray diffraction system, delivering no compromise performance for applications ranging from applied crystallography to chemical crystallography.

Typical applications include: high-resolution charge density measurement, micro-diffraction, diffuse scattering, measurement of weakly diffracting disordered materials, small molecule crystallography, wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), stress and texture measurements, as well as general-purpose powder diffraction.

Central to the performance of the Rapid II is the 2DP software that delivers project-based batch processing of two-dimensional (2D) X-ray diffraction data. This capability allows manipulation of multiple images at the same time with various analytical protocols. In addition to general 2D intensity image processing, the software provides for: display and automatic calculation of stress and texture data, as well as line and azimuthal integration for general-purpose powder diffraction.

The Rapid II’s curved large-area detector subtends a 2θ range of 204° at a single detector setting for maximum reciprocal space coverage. Inherent to the flexibility of this system is a choice of X-ray sources, ranging from: a high-frequency 3 kW sealed tube, to a MicroMax -002+ microfuse seal tube, to a 1.2 kW MicroMax -007 HF microfocus rotating anode generator, to an 18 kW ultra-high-power ultraX 18 rotating anode generator. Available optics range from a traditional graphite monochromator or high-performance Shine optic to a VariMax confocal X-ray optic.

Two goniometer configurations are available: a partial-X arrangement for chemical crystallography and a fixed-X system, with manual or automatic XY translation, for applied crystallography.

The Rapid II includes a fully integrated CCD video camera system with zoom capabilities to image sample areas to 1 µm. Because the Rigaku Rapid II is capable of analysing samples as small as 10 µm, the system is suitable for the non-destructive identification of small particles (and incorporated aggregates) from a wide range of samples. In addition, XY mapping capabilities allow the measurement at precise locations of larger samples.