MMR's Model K20XR is a compact thermal stage designed for variable-temperature studies of solid and powder samples in a variety of X-ray diffractometer systems. This thermal stage allows collection of X-ray diffraction data over a range of angles close to 90° in either horizontal or vertical mounting positions. By sliding the beryllium window up the body of the chamber, the sample, mounted in a sealed capillary on the cold stage, can be aligned optically with the beam. The window is then slid back into place and the chamber evacuated.
This system includes a unique X-ray diffraction vacuum chamber, a Joule-Thomson refrigerator, a sophisticated programmable temperature controller with intelligent keyboard/display, an accessory kit for beam blocking and attenuation of unwanted scattered X-rays, and an accessory kit required for operation with nitrogen gas over the temperature range of 70K to 730K.
Additional requirements include 99.998% pure nitrogen gas, a gas pressure regulator to deliver gas at 1800 psi (122 atm), and a vacuum pump to provide vacuum insulation (5 mTorr) of the refrigerator and sample in the vacuum chamber. The intelligent keyboard/display allows temperature to be set, read and ramped from one temperature to another. A computer is required to interface (RS-232C or IEEE 488) to the programmable temperature controller for software control of temperature and data acquisition.