High-pressure single-crystal neutron diffraction to 10 GPa by angle-dispersive techniques

• Published in: Journal of applied crystallography 2011-08, Vol.44 (4), p.831-838
• Main Authors: Bull, Craig L., Guthrie, Malcolm, Archer, John, Fernandez-Diaz, Maria-Teresa, Loveday, John S., Komatsu, Kazuki, Hamidov, Hayrullo, Nelmes, Richard J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: angle-dispersive techniques; high pressure; single-crystal neutron diffraction
• ISSN: 1600-5767; 0021-8898; 1600-5767
• DOI: 10.1107/S0021889811021819

Techniques have been developed that allow the measurement of accurate single‐crystal neutron‐diffraction data at pressures up to 10 GPa, using angle‐dispersive methods. High‐quality data have been collected up to 10 GPa, to a resolution of sinθ/λ≃ 1.5 Å−1, from samples of size 3–4 mm. This article presents the methods developed to mount and centre the sample accurately on the instrument; to reduce the background and hence increase the precision of the measured reflection intensities; and to increase further the accessible region of reciprocal space with a single sample loading. Developments are also highlighted, with a view to increasing the range of both science and pressures that can be achieved at the Institut Laue–Langevin reactor source using single‐crystal techniques.