Logo Validation by Prof. R. J. Cernik
E-mail: r.j.cernik@dl.ac.uk

Consultant to the IUCr Powder Diffraction Commission
(formerly Chairman 1996-1999)
Assistant Director, Synchrotron Radiation Department, Daresbury Laboratory
(formerly Head of X-ray Diffraction)

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(Copyright Form Received)
[Bob visited BBK on 19/1/00 working on duck.cryst.bbk.ac.uk]

Request for comments by JKC (13/1/00)
Dear Bob,
Happy New Year to you.
I think Paul may have already discussed with you about your role in reviewing the Birkbeck Powder Diffraction Web Course material.
We have now released the first 6 sections of the web material so now is an appropriate time for feedback from you. Obviously as it is the first year, we still are still working on future material, and most of the more interactive bits are still to come.
In order to review the material, I will have to explain a few things first:

  1. The main homepage for the course is http://pd.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/pd/welcome.htm
  2. The main course index for the academic year 1999/2000 is http://pd.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/pd/index99.htm which can be reached from any page by clicking on the course icon
  3. It is important to view the material "as the student would see it" so you need to start from the bottom of the "Notice Board" http://pd.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/pd/enrol99/notice.htm and work up the list from the bottom of the board. The reason for this is that the guidance notes to the students are given here.
  4. We get everyone to complete the license form (2nd item from bottom of the notice board), reviewers included - so this is not aimed specifically at you. This then triggers the mechanism for the generation of the password which you need to access the course material (and most of the items on the notice board).
Also since only a fraction of the material is available, you will probably need to look at the syllabus/timetable in order to have some idea of the material that is still to come.

In order to focus on a few points, we are providing reviewers with a Pro-forma questionnaire (attached). Please don't feel that you have to stick to it, but you may find it useful. Also feel free to add any comments, especially from the point of view of previous role as a Chairman of the IUCr Powder Diffraction Commission. (Note that question 7 is not-applicable at this stage since preparation of the project is still in progress.)

Many thanks again,
Jeremy Karl Cockcroft.
Attachments: PRO-FORMA QUESTIONAIRE.

Response by RJC (24/1/00)
Dear Jeremy, (and Paul)
I have had some time now to plough my way through the extensive material on the PD course both at Daresbury and at Birkbeck. I have to say that the overall quality is excellent. The time and care put into the construction of diagrams, text and information flow is impressive.

I have a few suggestions that might improve things even further.

  1. Include a photograph of the Aurora as a natural example of SR
  2. JCPDS should be referred to as the ICDD.
  3. The para-focussing nature of the Bragg-Brentano geometry is very neat and needs to be explained more fully.
  4. How about a working model for the injection process in a synchrotron?
  5. You should include a better undulator spectra. The one in the text is from a 1m insertion device on a 2nd generation source.
  6. Analyser geometry is also sample displacement independent.
  7. You should discuss CCDs more fully in the area detector section, they will be of increasing use.
  8. How about an interactive Rietveld refinement session with some trial data? I'm sure the students would really benefit.
  9. You should explain a little more about asymmetric cut crystals in the beam conditioning section.
These points struck me as I went through the easily readable and well presented text. I think this is an excellent course. During my time as chair of the Commission on Powder Diffraction of the International Union of Crystallography I was always keen to see the powder method taught as widely as possible. It is one of the major aims of the IUCr. In my opinion this course is a major step forward. All the basic elements of the powder method are here. This is particularly important since many scientists need the technique as a first method for identification and characterisation but do not necessarily wish to become expert in powder techniques themselves. This course will serve as a foundation to either the committed diffractionist or the occasional user who will need to use powder diffraction as part of a synthetic chemical or materials science programme.

Best wishes
Bob

[ACTION by JKC/PB (some in progress, some for 2000/1)]

Reply by JKC (24/1/00)
Dear Bob,
Thanks very much for all the time you have spent doing this. The project part of the course which is still under development is planned to be an interactive Rietveld via a Web interface (assuming that the technology works OK!). Re asymmetrically cut crystals, I cover these in the neutron section next week, but if you feel they are important at synchrotrons too, I will mention their use. (I have also realized that I should probably include something on Goebbel mirrors for next year.) I agree that the undulator picture is a little dated! Actually getting good measured data for these I find difficult - one tends to see lots of calculated curves in my experience.

We will take action where possible this year on your comments, but some may have to wait until next year so that they can be introduced without affecting the current students.

Sorry I missed you when you visited BBK the other day, but attendance at the overall CCP steering meeting was necessary.

Many thanks again,
Jeremy Karl.

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