Electric-field-induced structural changes measured with a CCD-coupled X-ray image intensifier

Abstract

The conventional method to measure small induced changes in integrated intensity utilizes a zero‐dimensional detector, which greatly limits the data collection speed. This paper shows that the use of an area detector in combination with an X‐ray chopper decreases the data collection time significantly. A monochromatic diffraction setup using a charge‐coupled device (CCD) detector coupled to an X‐ray image intensifier was constructed and tested. The setup proved to be sufficiently stable to measure changes in integrated intensity well below 0.1%. Subsequently, a data set of a piezoelectric KD2PO4 crystal in an external electric field was collected. The data were merged to yield 77 unique reflections. The induced structural changes were determined by a least‐squares refinement. The results agree very well with experiments in which a zero‐dimensional detector was used. The major improvement is the decrease in data collection time by one order of magnitude, without any degradation of the data quality, offering new possibilities for this type of perturbation study.

Diffraction studies under in situ electric field using a large-area hybrid pixel XPAD detector

“…However, the usual long readout time of such two-dimensional detectors (as compared with the switching frequency of the electric field) has long hampered their use. A first step was taken with the use of a two-dimensional CCD detector, which allowed the measurement of changes in integrated intensities below 0.1% (van Reeuwijk et al, 2000). However, this was at the expense of a severe compromise: to overcome the long readout time of the detector, a mechanical chopper was inserted in the incident X-ray beam and synchronized with the electric field.…”

An X-ray image intensifier for microsecond time-resolved experiments

“…An X-ray image intensifier is an area detector widely used for medical diagnosis. With its aluminium input window replaced with beryllium, it has been used as an X-ray detector for diffraction experiments at synchrotron radiation facilities [1][2][3]. In addition to its high sensitivity, one important advantage of an image intensifier is its flexibility.…”

X-ray diffraction by a crystal in a permanent external electric field: general considerations

“…Synchrotron radiation has also been implemented in recent years. This type of study of electric-field-induced structural changes was initiated by Graafsma et al (1993Graafsma et al ( , 1998 and Reeuwijk et al (2000aReeuwijk et al ( ,b, 2001, who investigated KD 2 PO 4 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Stahn et al (1998Stahn et al ( , 2001 have investigated the change in a structure of GaAs/ZnSe compounds at HASYLAB.…”