A compact, transportable, thermoelectrically cooled cold stage for reflection geometry X-ray powder diffraction

A cold stage for Bragg-Brentano geometry X-ray powder diffraction is described for use in the temperature range from about 250 to 300 K. The stage is constructed in such a way that it may be removed from the diffractometer and pre-cooled to its base temperature before the sample is loaded. After loading, thermoelectric cooling maintains the specimen at low temperature (ice free) whilst the body of the stage is allowed to return to room temperature prior to remounting on the diffractometer.