NEW HIGH-TEMPERATURE AND LOW-TEMPERATURE APPARATUS FOR SYNCHROTRON POLYCRYSTALLINE X-RAY-DIFFRACTION

A high-temperature furnace with an induction heater coil and a cryogen ic system based an closed-cycle refrigeration have been assembled to e nhance the non-ambient powder diffraction facilities at the Synchrotro n Radiation Source, Daresbury Laboratory. The commissioning of the hig h- and low-temperature devices on the high-resolution powder diffracto meter of Station 2.3 is described. The combined temperature range prov ided by the furnace/cryostat is 10-1500 K. Results from Fe and NH4Br p owder samples are presented to demonstrate the operation of the appara tus. The developments presented in this paper are applicable to a wide range of other experiments and diffraction geometries.