Multipurpose imaging-plate camera for in situ powder XRD at the GILDA beamline

An Imaging-Plate (IP) camera for X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) experiments was installed on the synchrotron radiation beamline GILDA at the ESRF. The IP camera can be used in fixed data-collection mode of the whole diffraction rings, or in translation mode for time-dependent experiments. The apparatus is ideal for collecting medium to relatively high-resolution diffraction data from diluted or weakly scattering samples and to investigate in situ phase changes induced by temperature and/or chemical reactions. The possibility to rapidly collect several good quality diffraction patterns coupled with tunable beam energy allow for multiwavelength experiments such as anomalous XRPD.