Open AccessObservation of divergent‐beam X‐ray diffraction from a crystal of diamond using synchrotron radiation
Author(s) -
Glazer A. M.,
Collins S. P.,
Zekria D.,
Liu J.,
Golshan M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of synchrotron radiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 99
ISSN - 1600-5775
DOI - 10.1107/s0909049504000949
Subject(s) - diffraction , synchrotron radiation , synchrotron , crystal (programming language) , optics , beam (structure) , x ray crystallography , materials science , high energy x rays , physics , crystallography , beamline , chemistry , computer science , programming language
In 1947 Kathleen Lonsdale conducted a series of experiments on X‐ray diffraction using a divergent beam external to a crystal sample. Unlike the Kossel technique, where divergent X‐rays are excited by the presence of fluorescing atoms within the crystal, the use of an external divergent source made it possible to study non‐fluorescing crystals. The resulting photographs not only illustrated the complexity of X‐ray diffraction from crystals in a truly beautiful way, but also demonstrated unprecedented experimental precision. This long‐forgotten work is repeated here using a synchrotron radiation source and, once again, considerable merit is found in Lonsdale's technique. The results of this experiment suggest that, through the use of modern `third‐generation' synchrotron sources, divergent‐beam diffraction could soon enjoy a renaissance for high‐precision lattice‐parameter determination and the study of crystal perfection.