Smart Combinatorial Research Equipment (SmartCoRE) for Automated Sample Analysis and Environmental Control on Synchroton Beamlines

Synchrotrons, operated by DOE and others, are large and expensive scientific facilities that nonetheless provide invaluable and highly demanded analytical tools for the investigation of basic material structure and properties. Many experiments require specific sample environments for in-situ analysis, but available tools to provide this have limited capabilities and are often incompatible with automation or synchrotron techniques. Compact sample chambers with embedded microprocessor controlled electronics will provide a customizable environmental control platform that can be effectively arrayed, automatically controlled and analyzed to increase efficiency at synchrotron beamlines. A smart and compact sample environmental chamber has been designed that is compatible with synchrotron as well as visible light optical analysis techniques. An imbedded microprocessor controls sample temperature between -50 and 400 C using a thermo-electric device or heater and can additionally control user supplied electrical devices as well. These chambers are designed to be stacked in arrays and individually programmed with unique control parameters while coordinating with automatic analysis processing. A prototype array of these sample chambers will be constructed and tested on an operational synchrotron beamline. Experience gained from these tests will be used to create a fully functional commercial product family for the automation of in-situ synchrotron analysis. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: This product has the potential to accelerate development of novel and useful material properties by making experimental analysis using both x-ray and visible light more efficient.