Rapid-acquisition pair distribution function (RA-PDF) analysis

An image- plate ( IP) detector coupled with high- energy synchrotron radiation was used for atomic pair distribution function ( PDF) analysis, with high probed momentum transfer Q(max) less than or equal to 28.5 Angstrom(-1), from crystalline materials. Materials with different structural complexities were measured to test the validity of the quantitative data analysis. Experimental results are presented for crystalline Ni, crystalline alpha-AlF3, and the layered Aurivillius type oxides alpha-Bi4V2O11 and gamma-Bi4V1.7Ti0.3O10.85. Overall, the diffraction patterns show good counting statistics, with measuring time from one to tens of seconds. The PDFs obtained are of high quality. Structures may be refined from these PDFs, and the structural models are consistent with the published literature. Data sets from similar samples are highly reproducible.