A simple device for transferring an oriented crystal from an X-ray Laue diffractometer to a cutting machine

Single crystals of various elements and compounds are widely used in science and technology. Normally, single crystals are available in the form of boules (ingots) without visible crystalline facets, cleavage traces or other features showing their orientation. So, to cut a boule in a particular direction according to the intended use, one has to orient the boule. This procedure is usually done with help of X-ray Laue diffraction. In the course of the orientation routine, a series of Laue diffractograms are taken from a boule situated on a twoor three-axis goniometer. The position of the boule is adjusted step by step according to the Laue patterns to find the correct orientation. Laue patterns were in the past and sometimes still are recorded on photographic film. With wet film processing the whole procedure is a quite tedious and time consuming. Polaroid instant films were useful, but such products are no longer widely available. Nowadays, different systems using CCD or image plate detectors and XYZ motorized stages have been developed (Photonic Science Ltd, Millham, East Sussex, UK; Multiwire Laboratories Ltd, Ithaca, NY, USA; Inel Inc., Stratham, NH, USA). With these systems the orientation problem can be solved in a matter of minutes. However, the next important step – transferring an oriented crystal to a cutting machine – remains to be taken. In the old fashioned way a goniometer with an oriented crystal can be ISSN 1600-5767