Measuring and predicting the diffraction properties of cylindrically bent potassium acid phthalate, KAP(001), crystals.

This report presents the results from measuring the X-ray diffraction properties of a curved potassium acid phthalate (KAP(001)) spectrometer crystal using two measurement methods. One method used a diode type X-ray source and a dual goniometer analysis system, utilizing a flat, perfect KAP(001) crystal as the monochromator. The second method used a synchrotron source and dual crystal Si(111) monochromator. Bent crystals are used in X-ray spectrometers as dispersion elements. These crystals are bent into a circular cylinder section, and this bending can alter the rocking curve properties. The crystal rocking curves were measured for spectral energies ranging from 1250 to 4500 eV. A multi-lamellar model was compared to the measurements and showed good quantitative agreement. This provides a valuable tool for predicting the changes to the KAP (001) for any radius of curvature when the crystal is bent into a cylindrical section.

A technique for measuring the quality of an elliptically bent pentaerythritol [PET(002)] crystal.

We present a technique for determining the X-ray spectral quality from each region of an elliptically curved PET(002) crystal. The investigative technique utilizes the shape of the crystal rocking curve which changes significantly as the radius of curvature changes. This unique quality information enables the spectroscopist to verify where in the spectral range that the spectrometer performance is satisfactory and where there are regions that would show spectral distortion. A collection of rocking curve measurements for elliptically curved PET(002) has been built up in our X-ray laboratory. The multi-lamellar model from the XOP software has been used as a guide and corrections were applied to the model based upon measurements. But, the measurement of RI at small radius of curvature shows an anomalous behavior; the multi-lamellar model fails to show this behavior. The effect of this anomalous RI behavior on an X-ray spectrometer calibration is calculated. It is compared to the multi-lamellar model calculation which is completely inadequate for predicting RI for this range of curvature and spectral energies.

Measuring the diffraction properties of an imaging quartz(211) crystal.

A dual goniometer X-ray system was used to measure the reflectivity curve for a spherically bent quartz(211) crystal. An analysis of the dual goniometer instrument response function for the rocking curve width measurement was developed and tested against the actual measurements. The rocking curve was measured at 4510.8 eV using the Ti Kα1 characteristic spectral line. The crystal is the dispersion element for a high resolution spectrometer used for plasma studies. It was expected to have a very narrow rocking curve width. The analysis showed that we could measure the upper bound for the rocking curve width of the Qz(211) crystal. The upper bound was 58 µrad giving a lower bound for the instrument resolving power E/ΔE = 34 000. Greatly improved insight into the dual goniometer operation and its limitations was achieved.

Measuring the x-ray resolving power of bent potassium acid phthalate diffraction crystals.

This report presents the results from measuring the X-ray resolving power of a curved potassium acid phthalate (KAP(001)) spectrometer crystal using two independent methods. It is part of a continuing effort to measure the fundamental diffraction properties of bent crystals that are used to study various characteristics of high temperature plasmas. Bent crystals like KAP(001) do not usually have the same diffraction properties as corresponding flat crystals. Models that do exist to calculate the effect of bending the crystal on the diffraction properties have simplifying assumptions and their accuracy limits have not been adequately determined. The type of crystals that we measured is being used in a spectrometer on the Z machine at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The first technique for measuring the crystal resolving power measures the X-ray spectral line width of the characteristic lines from several metal anodes. The second method uses a diode X-ray source and a double crystal diffractometer arrangement to measure the reflectivity curve of the KAP(001) crystal. The width of that curve is inversely proportional to the crystal resolving power. The measurement results are analyzed and discussed.

Integrated x-ray reflectivity measurements of elliptically curved pentaerythritol crystals.

The elliptically curved pentaerythritol (PET) crystals used in the Supersnout 2 x-ray spectrometer on the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have been calibrated photometrically in the range of 5.5-16 keV. The elliptical geometry provides broad spectral coverage and minimizes the degradation of spectral resolution due to the finite source size. The reflectivity curve of the crystals was measured using a x-ray line source. The integrated reflectivity (R(I)) and width of its curve (ΔΘ) were the measurements of major interest. The former gives the spectrometer throughput, and the latter gives the spectrometer resolving power. Both parameters are found to vary considerably with the radius of curvature of the crystal and with spectral energy. The results are attributed to an enhanced mosaic effect due to the increase in curvature. There are also contributions from the crystal cleaving and gluing processes.