FUJI Image Plates at D1

Detlef Smilgies

Mount and beamstop

• insert a plate, white side facing the beam in the holder with back photocarton screen facing upstream
• gently tighten screws, two diagonal screws are enough
• the WAXS range is about 200 mm from the sample with beamstop in the center
• use 1/16"Al as attenuator for the direct beam at 10keV; verify beam position with a burn and without plate
• for line-up use ion chamber with beam stop about 500 mmm downstream of sample and slide the holder out with a clamp marking the scattering position
  
• make sure the Uniblitz shutter is closed, before opening stops to expose a plate
  
• use macro "expose [time]" for taking images of exposure [time]; monitor intensities will be saved in scan file
• start with a 1 sec exposure for a new sample
  
• put exposed plates in cassette (see directions on cassette) and read out;
  
• about 10 min after exposure the plate is most stable
• erase plate for 10 min after read-out in light bath

Reading the plate

• start program "image plate reader" on the Mac
• start-up parameters:
• file name (include number matching scan file)
• comment optional
• image plate size: 20 x 25
• gradation: 1024
• resolution: 100
• latitude: 4
• sensitivity: 4000
• image size will be about 10MB
• press "read" and then "save" in the next menu
• "image gauge" is automatically launched; use left bar to check for overexposed areas on plate; don't save file in this window

Transferring and converting files to TIFF

• start the Mac FTP program "fetch"
• choose mode "binary" and format "raw data" to copy files to d1.chess.cornell.edu
• use program "fuji2tiff [input name] [output name]" from the "szebenyi" directory for conversion to TIFF
• reader files marked with a red "org" tag should convert fine
• if accidentally a file was saved with "image gauge" (green tag "image"):
• open file with"image gauge" by double-clicking icon
• use "FILE > export > FUJI exchange format" from top menu bar
• the exported file with the ".img" extensition behaves like an "org" data file
  
• evaluate TIFF files with "fit2d" (see tutorial)