Origin and Development of the Multi-purpose X-ray Diffractometer (Part 1)

The developmental situation of X-ray diffractometer after discovery of X-ray diffraction were reviewed and it may be partitioned into four stages. The early stage is camera stage and the main characteristic of it is that the photo film was used as detector and recorder. Many diffraction lines can be recorded on a film simultaneously, which makes the structure of goniometer is simple. The middle stage is diffractometer stage and the main characteristic of it is that the counter is used as detector, which greatly improves the accuracy of intensities measured. Because intensities of the diffraction lines are recorded one by one，the structure of goniometer is more complex. The instrumental automation of this stage is improved based upon the application of electronics. The neoteric stage is diffractometer-computer stage. The combination of diffractometer and computer not only enhances the instrumental automation and abilities for testing, but also increases the function for data analysis, which makes X-ray diffractometry get a big advance. The modern stage is multi-purpose diffractometer stage. The new requests for X-ray analysis are brought by high speed development of science and technology, and some new X-ray technology, such as small angle scattering, thin-film diffraction, reflectivity measurement, micro analysis and so on, had been developed. The multi-purpose X-ray diffractometer emerged as the time requiring.