Dispositif d'orientation rapide de cristaux par la méthode de Laue

A system for the rapid alignment of a monocrystal of any dimensions by the Laue method in roughly one minute is described. It is composed of a two-dimensional detector (77 mm in diameter) on a goniometer with an image intensifier and a video camera capable of acquiring diffraction patterns in transmission or reflection, a system for image acquisition and analysis installed on an IBM-PC compatible computer, and a control program which determines the orientation matrix of the sample whatever the crystal symmetry. The novelty of such a package lies in the association of several different elements which are available commercially. This is the first stage in the development of a completely automatic machine to orient and cut crystals.