Experimental verification of small-angle X-ray scattering collimation corrections

In order to test the collimation correction methods routinely applied to small-angle X-ray scattering data, scattering curves for several samples have been obtained both with a Kratky camera and with a Beeman four-slit collimation system. Since the two collimation systems used quite different slit arrangements, there were appreciable differences in the measured curves obtained with the two systems for a given sample. However, after the appropriate collimation corrections had been applied, the corrected curves were nearly identical. This agreement, which is not surprising because of the thorough tests previously applied to collimation correction procedures, indicates that in the correction of experimental curves, no unforeseen problems appear that are not present in the earlier, more idealized tests, which employed test functions to simulate experimental curves. A comparison has been made of a few other properties of the two collimation systems, including the intensity obtainable for a given resolution.