CURVED IMAGE-PLATES FOR SYNCHROTRON RADIATION HIGH RESOLUTION POWDER DIFFRACTION AND STUDIES OF AMORPHOUS SYSTEMS G.Bushnell-Wye^*, J.L.Finney⁺, R.O.Piltz⁺, J.K.Walters^+, J.D.Wicks+,^*CLRC, Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury, Warrington, WA4 4AD, UK, ⁺Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK

We report the development of two curved image-plate cameras aimed at extending the use of high intensity synchrotron radiation by increasing experiment throughput and by enabling new possibilities in structural studies of crystalline powders and amorphous materials. By replacing incremental scanning of a detector over a wide angular range with a detector system capable of recording the complete diffraction pattern in a single exposure, data collection times have been reduced from hours to minutes. This improves the sample turn round time considerably and will lead to greater access to a scarce resource. Moreover, it no longer requires the sample to be in a steady state: chemical reactions and physical processes could be studied by recording the diffraction pattern as a function of time as the imaging phosphor screen is translated during the experiment. Powder patterns collected in this way would retain high resolution characteristics and allow structure refinement of intermediate phases. Investigation of point to point variations in glassy materials should be possible using a 0.5 mm square beam. Progress in the commissioning of a high resolution camera (larger radius, angular range 70deg.) for powder diffraction and a low resolution camera (smaller radius, angular range 130deg.) for studying amorphous materials is described.