The article discusses the Parallel Beam Diffractometer (PBD) laboratory at NIST, a highly-controlled environment with 0.01°C temperature stability. The PBD is used to establish lattice constants of NIST Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) and measure X-ray wavelengths with SI-traceable accuracy.
Current and planned projects for the PBD include:
1. New measurements of lattice spacings for NIST SRM 660c and 640f
2. Spectra measurements of various X-ray anode materials
3. Development of a robotic sample changer for individual SRM certification, starting with SRM 2000 – a single-crystal silicon substrate with a SiGe overlayer.
The PBD laboratory plays a crucial role in maintaining the accuracy and reliability of NIST SRMs, which are used as reference materials in various industries and scientific research.
Keywords: lattice constants, diffractometer, wavelengths
