X-ray investigation of cubic crystal structures / Debye-Scherrer powder method

When polycrystalline samples are irradiated with X-rays a characteristic diffraction pattern results. These Debye-Scherrer reflections are photographed and then evaluated.

Tasks

1. Debye-Scherrer photographs are to be taken of powdered samples of sodium chloride and caesium chloride.
2. The Debye-Scherrer rings are to be evaluated and assigned to the corresponding lattice planes.
3. The lattice constants of the sample materials are to be determined.
4. The number of atoms in the unit cells of each sample are to be determined.

Learning objectives

• Crystal lattices
• Crystal systems
• Reciprocal lattice
• Miller indices
• Structure amplitude
• Atomic form factor
• Bragg scattering