The Advanced Photon Source
a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility

Sample Environments

Sample Stages:

Several different apparatus can be mounted on sample stages that maintain the center of rotation within 20 µm (sphere of confusion). These consist of:

  • Sample table: Kohzu XYZ stage (stblx, stbly, stblz)
  • Eulerian cradle: Huber 512
    • Chi (χ)
    • Phi (Huber 410) (Φ)
  • 2-circle goniometer (Huber 424) (θ)
  • Motorized Cryostat Mount (5106.20M)
    • micro_x, micro_y, micro_z

Depending on the experimental setup, the accessible range of χ, Φ, θ can change and it is very important that the operator pays attention in order to avoid hitting other equipment at the downstream side (detector), upstream side (ion chambers, attenuator) and inward side (wall).

Sample Area & Analyzer System:

sample area

sample area

sample area

Schematic of Huber positioning system:

Eulerian cradle: Huber 512

Schematic of micro XYZ cryostat mount:

Motorized cryostat mount: Huber 5106.20M

Environments & Limits:
  1. Low/high temperature (4-800K) using a closed-cycle cryostat
    • Limit for stages: θ= -1° , +21° ; χ= -45° , +90° ; Φ= -35° , +135°
  2. High temperature (300-1000K) using an in-vacuum heating stage
    • Limit for stages: θ= -1° , +21° ; χ= -90° , +90° ; Φ= -35° , +135°
  3. High pressure (0.2-120GPa) using a helium-driven membrane diamond anvil cell (DAC)
    • Can be used at ambient and low temperatures
    • An in situ ruby fluorescence system for pressure determination
    • A high-pressure DAC preparation/loading laboratory and gas loading system are available for users at the APS
    • Limits for stages:
      • 0-20 GPa, 5-300 K, Sumitomo cryocooler: θ= -1° , +21° ; χ= -45° , +90° ; Φ= -35° , +135°
      • 110 GPa, Room Temperature: θ= -1° , +21° ; χ= -135° , +135° ; Φ= -35° , +135°
      • 110 Gpa, <1000 K, user-provided cell: θ= -1° , +21° ; χ= -90° , +90° ; Φ= -35° , +135°
  4. Magnetic field (<2.2T @RT) using a permanent magnet
    • Can be used inside the cryostat
    • The magnetic field direction can be aligned to be in or out of the scattering plane
    • Limit for stages: θ= -1° , +21° ; χ= -45° , +90° ; Φ= -35° , +135°
  5. Uniaxial strain (+/- 6mm @RT) using cryogenic strain cell from Razorbill
    • The cell allows for tensile and compressive strains to samples
    • Can be used inside cryostat (+/- 3 mm at 10K)
    • Limit for stages: θ= -1° , +21° ; χ= -45° , +90° ; Φ= -35° , +135°
Sample Mounting:
  • Sample holders & drawings
  • Varnishes & Pastes:
    • GE varnish, for 5-350 K applications
    • Carbon & silver pastes, for < 2000 K applications
  • Beryllium dome
    • for samples that need moisture protection/helium gas exchange