All different flavors of synchrotron single crystal x-ray diffraction experiments

Abstract

This lecture reviews the main concepts, applications and capabilities of different non-conventional approaches to single-crystal x-ray diffraction (SXD) experiment utilizing synchrotron radiation for applications in high-pressure research. You will learn how such experiment can be designed and performed to best answer the scientific goals of your study and, at the same time overcome the main technical limitations imposed by the high-pressure device and type of measurement. The emphasis will be placed on experiments that cannot be performed using laboratory instruments, e.g. involving ultrahigh (>50 GPa) pressures, poor quality samples, laser heating in diamond anvil cell (DAC), etc. The main goal of the presentation is to convince you that even if you are not an expert crystallographer, with good understanding of the general basic principles of synchrotron SXD experiments in a DAC you can successfully use these techniques as valuable and easy tools in your own high-pressure research. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.