Sample Holders and Goniometers

Sample Goniometers

Room temperature sample holders must fit into the standard Huber range of goniometers. Please contact us if you require any further information or detailed dimensions prior to any experimental time.

Low and High Temperatures

10 K - 300 K APD / ARS DE202 G

 

The ARS DE202G is a closed cycle cryostat which uses high pressure helium gas to produce cooling down to 10 K. A helium compressor provides high pressure gas to the cryocooler through a flexible gas line. The expansion of the gas at different stages produces the refrigeration. Low pressure gas is then returned through another gas line where it is recycled through the compressor. This closed loop cycle can be continuously repeated and maintained as needed to produce the desired refrigeration. The DE202G cryostats on XMaS is designed to mount directly onto the phi circle of the Huber diffractometer and can be oriented in any direction at base temperature. Currently there are two of these cryostats on the beamline, one with silicon diode temperature sensors and the second has a cernox sensor installed for use in magnetic fields.

Both the vacuum shroud and radiation shield are equipped with beryllium domes for x-ray studies allowing full access to the sample. The shroud is constructed from non-magnetic stainless steel which slips over a double o-ring on the refrigerator for easy sample change. The radiation shield is constructed from nickel plated copper for effective heat transfer. The distance from the tip of the cold finger to the centre of rotation is 17.5 mm.

8 K - 800 K ARS DE202G Cryofurnace

This cryofurnace is based on the ARS DE202G. The 800 K Interface mounts on the cooler and contains an internal mechanical thermal switch which protects the cold end from excessive heat while experiments are carried out at elevated temperatures. A heater and thermocouple sensors provide a temperature range from 8 K to 800 K.

1.7 K - 300 K He 4 ILL Joule Thomson Cryostat

In addition to a commercial standard two stage displex cryostat, which operates down to ~10 K and mounts on the phi circle of the diffractometer, a specially adapted 3 stage displex capable of sample temperatures down to 1.7 K is in routine use. This novel device, which has been developed by the cryogenics Laboratory at Institut Laue Langevin, Grenoble, may be operated over a wide range of angles without degradation of base temperature. The three stage device is ~40 mm longer than a standard displex, but is installed into the same motorised phi circle mount as all of the other cryostats.

1 K - 300 K He 3 ILL Joule Thomson Cryostat

Using the above Joule Thomson cryostat with 3He gas, instead of 4He test experiments have been made with sample temperatures of 1 K.

Cryogenic Sample Holders

The distance from the end of the APD cryostat "cold finger" to the centre of rotation is 17.5 mm. Samples are usually mounted onto a 6 mm diameter copper stub, that can then be mounted into a standard sample holder. For larger or unusually shaped samples, mounts can be made on request. Please contact the beamline staff to discuss your requirements before arriving for the experiment.

Temperature Controllers

The standard temperature controller used on the beamline is the Lakeshore model 340. This controller supports a very wide range of temperature sensors and has four inputs. Further details of this controller can be found on the Lakeshore website.