Advantages of a curved image plate for rapid laboratory-based x-ray total scattering measurements: Application to pair distribution function analysis.

The analysis and interpretation of the pair distribution function (PDF), as derived from total scattering measurements, is still seen by many as a technique confined to central synchrotron and neutron facilities. This situation has begun to change with a rising visibility of total scattering experiments reported in mainstream scientific journals and the modification of an increasing number of laboratory diffractometers. However, the rigor required during data reduction and the complexities of data interpretation mean the technique is still very far from being routine. Herein, we report the first application of a large area curved image plate system based on a Rigaku SPIDER (R-AXIS RAPID II) equipped with an Ag tube for collecting data amenable to high quality PDF refinement/modeling of crystalline, amorphous, and liquid samples. The advantages of such a system are the large Q range available without scanning (routinely in excess of 20 Å) and the inherent properties of an image plate detector (single photon sensitivity, large dynamic range [1.05 × 10], and effectively zero noise). Data are collected and structural models refined for a number of standard materials including NIST 640f silicon for which a R ≤ 0.12 value was obtained with data collected in 60 min (excluding background measurements). These and other data are discussed and compared to similar examples in the literature.