TASUB: The Triple Axis Calculation Module
Mark Koennecke
TASUB: The Triple Axis Calculation Module
On a triple axis instrument the parameters incoming energy, Q-position in 3D and
analyzed energy have to be changed frequently. These calculations are the task of the
TASUB module. This module uses the calculus described by M. Lumsden, J. L. Robertson and
M. Yethiraj in J. Appl. Cryst. (2005), 38, 405-411. The special feature of this
algorithm is that the tilt cradles of the sample table are used to help during alignment
and in order to drive out of plane (within the limits of the tilt cradles). For
alignment, two reflections must be located and their angles and Q-E parameters entered
into the module. Then a UB matrix can be calculated. With a UB matrix, the Q-E variables
ei, ki, ef, kf, en, qh, qk and ql can be driven as virtual motors in SICS.
Commands understood by Tasub
Monochromator and Analyzer Parameters
Incident and scattered energies are defined by monochromator crystals. In order
for the calculations to work, some parameters need to be configured. Monochromator
and analyzer parameters can be accessed with the prefixes: The parameter syntax used
is as usual: giving only the parameter name queries the value, giving the parameter
plus a value sets the parameter to the new value. The following parameters are
supported:
tasub mono
Monochromator properties
tasub ana
Analyser properties
Allowed properties for tasub mono and
tasub ana one of:
dd
The d-spacing of the reflection used
ss
The scattering sense, 1 or -1 are possible.
hb1
First parameter for the calculation of the horizontal curvature
hb2
Second parameter for the calculation of the horizontal curvature
vb1
First parameter for the calculation of the vertical curvature
vb2
Second parameter for the calculation of the vertical curvature
Examples:
tasub mono dd
will print the current d-spacing of the monochromator
tasub mono dd 4.3
Will set the d-spacing of the monochromator to 4.3
tasub mono ss
will print the scattering sense of the monochromator
tasub ana ss
will print the scattering sense of the analyser
tasub ana ss 1
will set the scattering sense of the analyser to 1
Cell Parameters
In order for the UB matrix calculation to work, the cell constants must be known:
tasub cell
This command prints the current cell parameters.
tasub cell a b c alpha beta
gamma
This command sets the new cell parameters. All six values must be
given.
Reflection Management
In order to calculate a UB matrix a list of reflections must be maintained. This
is done with the commands in this section:
tasub clear
Clears all reflections except the first reflection from the
reflection list
tasub clear all
Clears all reflections
tasub listref
Prints a list of all known reflections.
tasub del num
Delete the reflection number num from the list
tasub addref qh qk ql
Adds a reflection to the list. The indices of the reflections are
given. The angles and energy values are read from the motors. Use
this command only when the instrument is positioned right on a
reflection.
tasub addref qh qk ql a3 a4 sgu sgl ei
ef
Add a new reflection to the list. Besides the indices all angles
are given: a3, the sample rotation, a4, sample two theta, sgu, upper
tilt cradle, sgl, lower tilt cradle and incoming energy ei and
outgoing energy ef.
tasub addauxref qh qk ql
Adds an auxiliary reflection with indices qh, qk, ql to the list.
A4 is calculated from cell constants. A3 is either left alone or is
calculated to have the correct angular difference to a previous
reflection. This is a help for setting up the instrument or running
powder mode. When a UB has been generated from auxiliary
reflections, a3, sgu and sgl angles will be incorrect.
tasub repref id qh qk ql a3 a4 sgu sgl
ei ef
Modifies the reflection with id id to have the values given.
Calculations
This section covers the parameters and commands to use to make the module do
calculations for you.
tasub const ki | kf | elastic
Sets a parameter to determine if KI or KF is fixed when the energy
transfer en is being driven. Allowed values: ki, kf, elastic. In
elastic mode the analyzer is disregarded. This is useful for two
circle diffractometers.
tasub const
Prints if ki or kf is fixed.
tasub ss
Prints the sample scattering sense.
tasub ss 1 | -1
Sets the sample scattering sense. Allowed values are either 1 or
-1.
tasub silent 0 | 1
Prints or sets the silent flag. If this is 0, the messages Driving
motor .. from .. to .. are suppressed.
tasub outofplane 0 | 1
Prints or sets the outofplane flag. If this flag is 0, the
instrument will stay in the scattering plane and not move out of it.
This is here in order to protect those bloody magnets which cannot
be tilted.
tasub makeub r1 r2
Calculate a new UB matrix from the current cell constants and the
entries r1 and r2 in the reflection list. r1 and r2 are integer
numbers. This command will not only print the new UB matrix but also
the results of various back and forth calculations performed with
the new UB matrix. This can be inspected in order to check the new
UB. WARNING: The calculation will go wrong if the scattering sense
at the sample has changed since the reflections used for the UB
matrix determination have been entered.
tasub listub
prints the current UB matrix.
tasub calcang qh qk ql ei ef
Will calculate new angles for the Q-E position specified. The
angles will be printed in the order: monochromator two theta, sample
rotation, sample two theta, lower tilt cradle, upper tilt cradle and
analyzer two theta.
tasub calcqe a2 a3 a4 sgu sgl a6
Calculates and prints the Q-E position from the angles given: a2 =
monochromator two theta, a3 = sample rotation, a4 = sample tow
theta, sgu = upper tilt cradle, sgl = lower tilt cradle and a6 =
analyzer two theta. The Q-E position is printed in the sequence: qh,
qk, ql, ei, ef.
Virtual Motors
The tasub module also installs the following virtual motors into SICS: ei, ki,
qh, qk, ql, en, ef, kf and qm. All these motors can be used in SICS drive, run or
scan commands like real motors. Driving them triggers a recalculation of angles and
the drives the real motors to appropriate values. The virtual motors have a very
limited command set (shown at the example of qh):
qh
The name of the motor alone will print its current position.
qh
target
This will print the last requested target position for this
virtual motor.
The virtual motor qm implements powder mode. In
this mode, only the sample two theta and energy motors will be driven, sample
rotation and tilt cradles will be left at their respective positions. This is
commonly used to analyze the energy transfer of powder samples.
There are other important command:
tasub update
This command will force a recalculation of the current Q-E
position for the virtual motors from angles. Normally tasub will
take care of this. However, if any of the angle motors are moved
directly or manually, this command might be required. The SICS dr
wrapper command, however, even takes care of this.
tasub updatetargets
This command makes the QE targets match the current position. This
is useful after initialization in the instrument.tcl file.
Internal Commands
The tasub module supports some more commands which are used by SICS in order to
restore the tasub configuration between instantiations of SICS. These commands are
documented here for the sake of completeness:
tasub setub ub11 ub12 ub13 ub21 ub22
ub23 ub31 ub32 ub33
Sets the UB matrix. Nine values are required.
tasub setnormal n1 n2 n3
This command sets the plane normal which is required in
calculations. Normally this plane normal is automatically generated
during the calculation of the UB matrix.
tasub settarget qh qk ql qm ki kf
Sets the Q-E target.
tasub
r1 qh qk ql a3 a4 sgu sgl ki kf
tasub r2 qh qk ql a3 a4 sgu sgl ki kf
These commands set the values for the two reflections used for
generating the UB matrix.