Re: Powder X-ray diff preference?

Brian H. Toby ( (no email) )
Wed, 24 Jul 1996 10:55:08 -0400

On Jul 24, 7:33am, Stanislaw Gierlotka wrote:
> Subject: Re: Powder X-ray diff preference?
> Hi,
> I have been running Siemens D5000 with position sensitive detector
> for 5 years now with only minor technical problems (e.g. if the bulb
> in the warning lamp is broken you cannot switch the generator on and you
> don't know why). I am particularly happy with the PSD which lets me collect
> good quality data within an hour, and which seems to be just as durable
> as the rest of the setup ( the PSD manual says it needs replacement of the
> cathode wire once a year - extremely pessimistic). Another advantage
> of the PSD is that you operate at very modest kV/mA settings which
> extends the lifetime of the X-ray tube. Think of a machnie with PSD,
> whether it is Siemens or not.
> Stan
> ...
>-- End of excerpt from Stanislaw Gierlotka

I wonder about two aspects of a PSD for use as an instrument in a teaching lab:

1) It requires flowing quench gas. Is this a significant expense?

2) I know that the wire in PSD's can be pitted by exposure to high radiation
levels and have heard they can burn out if exposed to the direct beam.

On the other hand any detector can be damaged through misuse. Any comments from
PSD users -- particularly in teaching facilities?

Brian

-- ***************************************************************************Brian H. Toby                           Reactor Radiation Division E151/235Brian.Toby@NIST.gov            National Institute of Standards & Technologyvoice: 301-975-4297  FAX: 301-921-9847               Gaithersburg, MD 20899***************************************************************************