Flat-plate single-crystal silicon sample holders for neutron powder diffraction studies of highly absorbing gadolinium compounds

A flat-plate single-crystal sample holder is used to place a thin layer of highly absorbing samarium and gadolinium compounds in a neutron beam and obtain Rietveld refinement quality diffraction data in a modest time. Demonstration data are presented on two intermetallic compounds, Sm₃Ag₄Sn₄ and Gd₃Ag₄Sn₄, and it is shown that both structural and magnetic information can be derived from the diffraction patterns.