Open AccessWindows for small‐angle X‐ray scattering cryostats
Author(s) -
Lurio Laurence,
Mulders Norbert,
Paetkau Mark,
Jemian Pete R.,
Narayanan Suresh,
Sandy Alec
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of synchrotron radiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 99
ISSN - 1600-5775
DOI - 10.1107/s0909049507042409
Subject(s) - kapton , beryllium , materials science , mica , scattering , optics , foil method , polyimide , composite material , layer (electronics) , physics , nuclear physics
To determine the suitability of commonly used windows for small‐angle X‐ray scattering, a range of materials, including Kapton, (aluminized) Mylar, beryllium, high‐purity aluminium foil, mica and silicon nitride have been studied. At small wavevector transfers, Q , in the range 2 × 10 −3 to 0.2 nm −1 , the scattering from Kapton, mica and beryllium is reasonably well described by power laws in Q with exponents of −3.25, −3.6 and −3.9, respectively. There are large variations in the scattering from mica, but a freshly cleaved natural mica window was by far the weakest scatterer. For applications where radiation in the infrared or visible range should be blocked, aluminized Mylar is the most suitable material. Both Mylar and Kapton can be used to make very simple demountable superfluid‐tight windows using indium O‐ring seals.