Use of electronic tilt sensors as angle encoders for synchrotron applications

摘要

The authors have tested several electrolytic tilt sensors produced by Applied Geomechanics Inc. A pair of sensors were tested by mounting them on the Chi circle of a Huber 4 circle diffractometer. The angles were scanned in 1(degrees) intervals over a range of (+-)35(degrees). In these tests the resolution was about (+-)5 (mu)rad but the repeatability depended on angle and varied from 70 (mu)rad (one standard deviation) at large angles to 7 (mu)rad at small angles. This type of tilt sensor may be too slow (2-10 second settling time) as a primary angle encoder for a monochromator or diffractometer, but for a system run by stepping motors, they would prove quite useful as secondary angle encoders. Other models which have a narrower angular range would be useful in setting and tuning focusing mirrors.