Process and apparatus for x-ray crystallography

Claim 2

An x-ray crystallographic process comprising, measuring the intensity of the radiation (Id) diffracted by each constituent element of a sample, identified qualitatively by its angle of diffraction, measuring the intensity of the Compton radiation (Ic) scattered by the whole sample, and determining the content C of each element as the ratio of the intensity Id with respect to the intensity Ic.

Claim 3

A process for analyzing the amorphous fraction of a sample, as defined in claim 1, in which the value of the ratio of Id to Ic, namely, id/Ic is entered on a diagram in a continuous curve, related to the angle of diffraction, and the ratio of the mass of non-crystalline matter to the mass of crystalline matter in the sample is determined as the ratio of the surface area between the scatter halo curve and the abscissa axes to the surface area between the diffraction peaks and the same abscissa axes.

Claim 4

An x-ray crystallographic apparatus, comprising an x-ray glow-tube for irradiating a sample with an incident beam, a sample holder, and instrument to measure the intensity of the diffracted radiation, comprising a diaphragm, monochromating crystal and radiation counter, attached to a goniometer arm with the same rotational axis as the irradiated sample, means for adjusting the angle of the monochromating crystal and radiation counter in relation to the goniometer arm, an instrument to measure the intensity of the Compton scattered radiation, comprising a diaphragm, frequency-band selector and radiation counter, attached to a second arm means for adjusting the second arm in the direction of the irradiated sample to a certain angle with the incident beam, means for adjusting the angle of the frequency-band selector and radiation counter in relation to the adjustable arm, and means to determine the content of a constituent element of the sample in response to the measured intensities.

Claim 5

An x-ray crystallographic apparatus, comprising an x-ray glow-tube for irradiating a sample with an incident beam, a sample holder, and instrument to measure the intensity of the diffracted radiation, comprising a diaphragm, monochromating crystal and radiation counter, attached to a goniometer arm with the same rotational axis as the irradiated sample, means for adjusting the angle of the monochromating crystal and radiation counter in relation to the goniometer arm, an instrument to measure the intensity of the Compton scattered radiation, comprising a diaphragm, frequency-band selector and radiation counter, attached to a second arm means for adjusting the second arm in the direction of the irradiated sample to a certain angle with the incident beam, means for adjusting the angle of the frequency-band selector and radiation counter in relation to the adjustable arm, and means to determine the content of a constituent element of the sample in response to the measured intensities.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which the frequency-band selector of the Compton scattered radiaTion comprises a monochromating crystal preceded by an inlet diaphragm, the width of which is such that the monochromating crystal will select a wave band comrpising at least 80 percent of the Compton radiation emitted by the sample.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which the X-ray glow-tube has a divergent slit wide enough to allow irradiation of the total surface area of the irradiated sample.

Claim 8

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which during measurement of the intensity of the Compton scattered radiation the position of the sample is maintained at an angle corresponding to the maximum angle of diffraction.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which the frequency-band selector of the Compton scattered radiation comprises a double Ross filter.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which each counter to measure the intensity of the diffracted and Compton scattered radiations contains two separate time-measurement instruments, one making an absolute measurement and the other operating in relation to the periodicity of the electrical current.

Claim 11

An apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which the sample holder consists of a thin film of a material with a very low scattering coefficient.