I have a xray difractometer in my lab that are with problem showing a zero signal in detector. But i suspect that xray source are with problem and not the detector as indicated by tecnichal staff of the Bruker by online acess on the equipment. I want know if somebody have some experience to help me make some test to detect the xray source are working properly? I can put a CCD camera (from a cell phone) inside of the difractometer to see xray light? I apreciate if somebody can help do a simple test to check this.. Thanks
May be simple x-ray film as used in dental or other x-rays may be helpful. Put film at sample location and see it is affected or not. Rest will follow
Dear Daniel,
I am not familiar with the Bruker system,
but the x-ray source should in case of a failure communicate this in an appropriate way; i.e. via a separate alarm lamp or at least via the mA (µA) and/or kV display or in any other way such as a software report.
Your idea of checking the availability of any x-ray flux via the CCD of a your cell phone is ok. You should see some speckle type pattern on the display. But please do no place your phone in the direct x-ray beam. X-ray stray light should do the job. You should test such a set up at a really working x-ray tube set-up in advance so you can see what you should expect.
In a more advance case you should take a piece of x-ray luminescent screen material (e.g. ZnS) in the direct beam and monitor the x-ray spot by your CCD.
With respect to your detector signal reported as 'zero'; do you really have a complete zero? No sporadic counts at all?
Even in the case of tube failure ( no x-ray output) you should observe sporadic counts at your detector when waiting for some time (order of minutes). These counts are due to natural radioactivity of the surrounding(s) and from cosmic rays.
If you do not 'see' such single sporadic counts your detector then will be the issue.
In addition to the answer of Munish you also can take an 'old fashion' Polaroid film (exposure time of about 1 min). These films are provided with an internal developer and you do not have to process the x-ray or dental film in a developer machine.
Another idea: if you have accesss to an radioactive gamma source, you are able to check you detector separately.
Good luck.
In addition to what was said above: Try to measure the output signal of your detector, these should be short pulses after the preamplifier, and the peak height should be well defined. As they are short in time (depending on the shaping amplifier) you should make use of an oscilloscope. The idea of Gerhard, i.e. to apply a small radioactive source, is appropriate to see the difference with and without source. In addition - the position of the X-ray source needs to be checked. For this purpose, you need some luminescent materials, otherwise alignments are extremely time-consuming!
Good luck, Dirk
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