The I16 beamline at Diamond is dedicated to the study of advanced materials using X-ray diffraction; part of this process is to use a device, known as a polarisation analyser (PA) that can analyse magnetic scattering from samples. Magnetic scattering is different to, and weaker than, normal X-ray scattering and analysis of the polarisation of this scattering can be used to gain insights into the magnetic properties of materials. Researchers can use this information to determine details of the 3D structure of the sample material.
The design of the PA includes an assembly of vacuum chambers, sets of slits to remove unwanted scattering and various detectors, arranged to rotate about different axes. Researchers use data collected from the detectors as they are moved and rotated to build up information on the polarisation of the scattering.
>Read more on the Diamond Light Source website
Image: extract of the polarisation analyser; to watch the video “The motion of the main axes of the polarisation analyser”, please have a look here.