Powder diffraction

Electron powder pattern (red) of an Al film with an fcc spiral overlay (green) and a line of intersections (blue) that determines lattice parameter.[1]
X-ray powder diffraction of Y2Cu2O5 and Rietveld refinement with two phases, showing 1% of yttrium oxide impurity (red tickers).
X-ray powder diffraction of Y2Cu2O5 and Rietveld refinement with two phases, showing 1% of yttrium oxide impurity (red tickers).

Powder diffraction is a scientific technique using X-ray, neutron, or electron diffraction on powder or microcrystalline samples for structural characterization of materials.[2] An instrument dedicated to performing such powder measurements is called a powder diffractometer.

Powder diffraction stands in contrast to single crystal diffraction techniques, which work best with a single, well-ordered crystal.

  1. ^ P. Fraundorf & Shuhan Lin (2004). "Spiral powder overlays". Microscopy and Microanalysis. 10 (S02): 1356–1357. Bibcode:2004MiMic..10S1356F. doi:10.1017/S1431927604884034. S2CID 17009500.
  2. ^ B.D. Cullity Elements of X-ray Diffraction Addison Wesley Mass. 1978 ISBN 0-201-01174-3