The Ladell x-ray diffractometer (LD) is designed to study “practical” polycrystalline materials. These are materials which exhibit some combination of texture, strain, and large grain size, or are inhomogeneous or anisotropic in other ways. LD features which make this possible are: the ability to study crystal planes inclined to the sample surface; a versatile reflection geometry; high 2θ resolution via a focusing geometry; a large irradiated sample area (up to 1.5 cm2) for improved intensity and sampling statistics; the ability to examine different sample areas to test for homogeneity; and the use of one sample with no instrument reconfiguration. Scans and/or applications are described that measure texture, strain, twinning, improve quantitative phase analysis, and eliminate substrate scattering.

The LD makes use of five independent computer controlled motions. These enable one to study a large fraction of that part of reciprocal space which is accessible by reflection. Instrument geometry and scans are described in terms of α, θ and reciprocal space diagrams. The effect of specimen displacement on peak position is described as are the effects of a number of geometrical factors on integrated intensity.