The Rigaku Smartlab 3kW was installed in the department in 2025, bringing new functionality in addition to expanding capacity of existing measurement types. It is a highly reconfigurable Cu sourced instrument, allowing for a variety of techniques:
Powder XRD: part of the standard user training
Grazing Incidence XRD: part of the standard user training, for more advanced Thin film options, please enquire during the standard training.
Reflectivity: enquire with the facility manager
Small Angle X-ray Scattering: enquire with the facility manager
High temperature PXRD: see additional information in the linked application form. Sections 2 and 3 should be returned to the facility manager when enquiring.
2D XRD (orientation information, sample homogeneity): enquire with the facility manager.
Primary optics:
Monochromator: insertable/removable Johansson Ge(111) monochromator (Typically used with BB, can be used with PB)
Rigaku's CBO: switchable between a divergent beam (BB) and a mirror focussed parallel beam (PB). Slits for Small angle (SA) and micro-area (MA) available too.
Soller slit: 2.5 degree, 5 degree, or open
Fully programmable divergence slit (controlling length of beam along beam-path)
masks (controlling size of beam perpendicular to the beam-path): 0.5, 2, 5, or 10 giving ~around 2, 5, 8, and14 mm of exposure at the sample position.
Stages:
Standard stage for flat plate samples (slot sample e.g. microscope slide in).
ASC-10: a 10 position sample changer (specific sample holders, sample holders can be 3D printed).
Plate holder: for bulk and thin film samples (place sample on top).
RxRy stage: for tilting bulk samples.
Phi Stage: for turning bulk samples.
Transmission SAXS stage.
Reactor-X stage: For temperatures up to 950 C under gas flow or vacuum.
Motorised height adjustment for all stages.
Secondary optics:
Beamstop (cutting from 2 degrees)
antiscatter shield for background reduction
Ni filter for Cu K-beta stripping
motorised acceptance slit (0-20mm)
parallel slit analyser: open, 0.5 or 0.228 degrees. Can also be rotated and used as narrow soller slits)
Soller slits: 2.5 degree, 5 degree, or open
Vacuum path (to replace PSA and Soller)
Electronic secondary acceptance slit at the detector
Hypix 3000 area detector usable in 0,1 or 2D mode, with XRF reduction mode available. Mountable in a horizontal or vertical position and movable from 150 to 400mm away from sample (standard BB configured at 300mm).
