Product Details

QLD stands for Quasi-Laue Diffractometer. It is a Neutron Laue diffractometer using image plates (IP) as a detector. It can be used either for material science (thermal neutrons) or for biology (cold neutrons).

The first prototype version was developed by EMBL Grenoble and has been used for protein crystallography on the LADI station at ILL since 1998. A second version, with an improved industrial design, is installed on the VIVALDI station at ILL. MAATEL manufactured the two additional QLD, which has been delivered to ANSTO (KOALA) and ILL (LADI III).

QLD principle is based on neutron sensitive image plates (IP). The detector is a cylindrical drum covered with IPs surrounding the sample placed at its center. During sample exposition to the neutron beam, the diffraction pattern is recorded on the IPs. Reading principle of the IP is linked to its neutron sensitive properties. A red spot emitted by a laser diode excites the blue photostimulable luminescence stored in the IP by exposition to neutrons. Resulting blue light is recorded by a PMT placed in front of the IP. The entire drum surface is scanned by the PMT (describing a spiral motion relatively to the IPs). The image is then reconstructed for diffraction pattern analysis. IPs are then erased by exposure to visible light and a new exposure process may start.

QLD is a turnkey system including control system and software.