SLAC Today logo

Hands-on Workshop on X-ray Scattering

Sure, a textbook can tell you about Bragg's Law and the x-ray absorption energies for any element in the periodic table, but it can't tell you how to plan and carry out an x-ray scattering experiment at one of the 50 or so synchrotron radiation facilities in the world.

To gain such practical knowledge, some 40 researchers, mostly graduate students and postdocs, have signed up for the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) Workshop on Synchrotron X-ray Scattering Techniques in Materials and Environmental Sciences.

"The goal is a practical, hands-on tutorial, aimed at teaching things you can't learn out of textbooks," said workshop co-organizer Mike Toney.

The workshop, to be held May 16 and 17, includes "on-the-experiment" training at four of SSRL's beam lines. A day of lectures will first give introductory explanations of x-ray diffraction, how to get the most data out of your beam time, and how to apply various advanced techniques.

"Good planning and a working knowledge of beam lines, in addition to technique, are keys to conducting successful x-ray scattering measurements at synchrotrons," said workshop co-organizer John Bargar.

There is still room for participants in the lecture day, May 16. Registration is currently open and available online.

—Heather Rock Woods
   SLAC Today, May 10, 2006