High-Speed Direct-Recording System for Electron Diffraction

Abstract

AN electron diffraction system for the quantitative investigation of rapid phase changes in solids has recently been completed. The system will record an electron diffraction pattern of the Debye–Scherrer ring type in 50 msec., giving the electron intensity at the peaks of strong reflexions to an accuracy of 2 per cent. The system gives an improvement in speed of direct recording of about four orders of magnitude¹, and is thus attractive for investigating quantitatively rapid changes in solids such as polymorphic transformations, transitions from the amorphous to the crystalline state, diffusion in alloys. It is also suitable for investigating controversial questions in electron diffraction such as the transition from geometrical to dynamic diffraction conditions^2,3.