| | In the October issue of Rigaku's Crystallography Times newsletter, Jeanette Ferrara reviewed Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement by James Vincent, which explores how certain units of measurement came to be and how the development of these units say something about human evolution at the time.
The book is relevant to Rigaku because, after all, we are all about measurement. Our instruments measure X-ray intensities, for example, and use them to determine the three-dimensional structures of substances, to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of materials, to identify unknowns or examine the internal structure of common substances or to evaluate changes in compounds under a variety of conditions. While the name Rigaku probably doesn’t appear on things in your home, it’s a safe bet that a Rigaku instrument was used at some point during the development or manufacture of many of the products you own. The range and scope of what we measure is impressive: from the nanoscale all the way up to parts of automobiles or aircraft. These measurements help the manufacturers ensure that what they are making is what they think it is, in the correct form for its intended use, free of stress and strain, and in line with whatever specifications are required to make it work properly. Rigaku instruments are also used to ensure that substances meet environmental regulations or comply with many of the national and international standards that products are required to pass.
In this issue, we present a new X-ray detector, the XSPA-400 ER, which is used to improve scientists’ ability to detect trace phases in samples in the presence of transition metals. This capability is especially important when measuring steel and iron samples, and also in a variety of industries, such as the production of battery materials, where identifying and quantifying trace components is critical.
The XRD application note featured in this issue is about ensuring that pharmaceuticals have the correct composition. The EDXRF application note is about making sure the constituents of cement are correct so this crucial construction material performs and lasts as expected. We also announce a joint webinar with Retsch about many ways to characterize battery materials, a field that has become increasingly important in recent years. Rigaku Analytical Devices discusses how their handheld Raman analyzers can determine whether aging munitions are duds.
So many different fields of study, all courtesy of products from Rigaku. | | | | | October 4, 2022: Billions of years ago, a version of our Earth that looks very different than the one we live on today was hit by an object about the size of Mars, called Theia. Most theories claim the Moon formed out of the debris of this collision, coalescing in orbit over months or years. A new simulation puts forth a different theory—the Moon may have formed immediately, in a matter of hours, when material from the Earth and Theia was launched directly into orbit after the impact.
October 24, 2022: A paper recently published in the journal ACS Energy Letters reviewed the role of isostatic pressing (ISP) in large-scale solid-state battery (SSB) production. ISP is a process that covers most of the processing conditions required for the large-scale production of solid electrolyte materials. ISP can be used to generate dense, thin solid electrolyte layers used in practical SSBs. Moreover, the technique offers a pathway toward the integration of the solid electrolyte, anode, and cathode layers into a tri-layer, dense system for commercial applications.
October 25, 2022: Solid-state batteries (SSBs), which have a simpler cell design and an anode-free arrangement, have been thought of as a potential next-generation storage concept for a few years. Pure lithium metal anodes in SSBs stand out for having the highest specific capacity and the lowest potential. However, their practical use in SSBs is still constrained by interface instability, the production of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), a low critical current density, and separator penetration by lithium dendrites. Silicon has emerged as a promising anode material for SSBs, according to a paper recently published by two scientists from Germany.
October 25, 2022: Stradivarius violins produce elegant music with a level of clarity that is unparalleled by modern instruments, according to some musicians. And it's the finishing touches—mysterious treatments applied hundreds of years ago by Antonio Stradivari—that contribute to their unique look and sound. In a step toward unraveling the secret, researchers report on a nanometer-scale imaging of two of Stradivari's violins, revealing a protein-based layer between the wood and varnish.
October 25, 2022: In a study that confirms its promise as the next-generation semiconductor material, UC Santa Barbara researchers have directly visualized the photocarrier transport properties of cubic boron arsenide single crystals. | | | | As the Opioid Crisis continues to ravage the country, what is being done to solve the prevalence of these drugs in our communities? In this episode we are honored to be joined by Retired DEA Special Agent Steve Murphy.
Join us as we discuss: How has the war on drugs changed since his time in Colombia? The role China has played in the production and manufacturing of synthetic opioids How state supported injection sites are changing the conceptions of drug use in America The failure of the Portugal model The importance of diplomatic engagement when it comes to solving the Opioid Crisis
Listen to podcast > | | RECENT EVENTS | | | | From October 18-21, 2022, we participated at the Cornell NanoScale Facility during the 2022 CNF Annual Meeting and 45th Anniversary Celebration. Thank you to the organizers, speakers, and students for sharing your experiences and initiatives.
At Rigaku, we contribute to humanity’s enhancement through scientific and technological development. Learn more about Rigaku Semiconductor Metrology Solutions at https://hubs.li/Q01qww9Q0 or email us to rsmd@rigaku.com
Semiconductor Metrology Solutions for:
• Wafer surface contamination analysis
• Film thickness/composition analysis
• Crystal defect/orientation analysis
• Nano process shaping assessment
• Crystal structure assessment of magnetic film/compound
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