Dear Colleague: You are invited to participate in the Size/Strain Round Robin, to be organized in 1999. The Round-Robin rational During ECM-18 and EPDIC-6 there were discussions about a need to organize a Round Robin on Size/Strain. As it is widely known, currently there are no standards available that would allow a comparison and calibration of different instruments and methods for diffraction-line-broadening analysis. It is expected that the Round Robin will result in diffraction-line-broadening standards. An evaluation of different candidate materials could potentially lead to a certification procedure for a new NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM). The Round Robin would be extremely beneficial in achieving this goal. Quantification of a specimen's size and strain values requires a definition of the analysis method and instrumental-broadening standard. Even a casual user of some of the line-broadening techniques is aware of systematic and significant differences in results obtained through different approaches. Therefore, the intent is to organize the Round Robin in three phases: Instrumental standards, methods of line-broadening analysis, and broadening standards. The intention is to have a "generic" Round Robin, that is, everyone is welcome to participate. Furthermore, the intent is to include participants with different laboratory instruments and configurations and at synchrotron and neutron beamlines. To maximize the credibility and participation in this Round Robin, the opinion of a broad powder-diffraction community is sought before a final definition of questions and materials is made. The questionnaire and more information can be found at the following site: http://www.boulder.nist.gov/div853/balzar/s-s_rr.htm and are mirrored at the CCP14 site: http://www.ccp14.ac.uk/ccp/web-mirrors/balzar/div853/balzar/s-s_rr.htm You participation and help are greatly appreciated. The Organizer, Davor Balzar ****************************************************** NIST Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory Div. 853, 325 Broadway Boulder, CO 80303 Tel: 303-497-3006 Fax: 303-497-5030 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.boulder.nist.gov/div853/balzar ****************************************************** University of Colorado at Boulder Department of Physics E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ****************************************************** The estimated Round Robin deadlines: Preliminary powder-diffraction community response: until November 15, 1998 Final definition of a Round Robin: until December 15, 1998 Preparation of materials, concurrently with the subscription to participate: until March 1, 1999 Distribution of materials to the participants: until April 1, 1999 Results due to organizers: until July 1, 1999 Preliminary results: 18th Congress and General Assembly of the IUCr, August 4-13, 1999 Round Robin 3rd phase (if necessary): End of 1999 Final results: EPDIC-7, May 20-23, 2000 and an archival publication (most likely Journal of Applied Crystallography).
