CONTINUOUS AVERAGING TECHNIQUE FOR AVOIDING DRIFT EFFECTS IN X-RAY SCATTERING MEASUREMENTS

A continuous averaging technique for avoiding the effects of long period drift in x‐ray scattering measurements has been developed. Only minor changes in conventional diffractometer equipment are required. A high speed drive motor is substituted for the conventional one in the diffractometer, and the scattered intensities are stored on paper tape. Thus, the sum of many rapid scans is substituted for one slow scan and the effective drift time is reduced to a negligible value. The actual summation of scattering patterns in proper register is done with an electronic computer. The scattering patterns obtained in this manner are expected to provide better structural information than was previously available concerning amorphous substances. Comparison of conventional and continuous averaging scattering patterns with and without an artificially imposed drift demonstrates that the method is effective.