Crystallography

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

The main aim of this course is to introduce students to crystallography (providing them with basic knowledge about symmetry operations, needed to understand the role of symmetry in crystals), and to diffraction methods (i.e., diffraction phenomena, X-ray diffraction data collection and analysis). The lecture is designed as an introduction to the most fundamental, powerful and commonly applied analytical tool in Chemistry, Physics and Materials Sciences.

Students will learn:
• What is crystal? Its evolving definitions;
• Symmetry in Nature and that allowed in crystals;
• point groups, space groups and Bravais lattices;
• about the radiation suitable for revealing the structure of crystals;
• how the radiation interferes with molecules and condensed matter;
• what information can be extracted from diffraction patterns;
• how to perform a single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiment and solve a structure;
• how to analyse the structural data of atomic positions, bond lengths, interactions etc.;
• how to search databases of millions crystal structures determined so far.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Syllabus

Week 1: What is crystal; history and today; translational symmetry, point-symmetry elements; unit cell;

Week 2: Point groups, Bravais lattices, space groups, and crystallographic systems;

Week 3: X-rays; radiation types; their production; diffraction; Laue and Braggs laws;

Week 4: X-Rays scattered by atoms; structure factor;

Week 5: Friedel law, Laue symmetry; systematic absences;

Week 6: X-ray diffraction experiment-part I: sample preparation, data collection;

Week 7: X-ray diffraction experiment-part II: data treatment;

Week 8: Final exam

Reading list

1. Fundamentals of Crystallography, Giacovazzo, C., Monaco, H.L., Artioli, G., Viterbo, D., Milanesio, M., Gilli, G., Gilli, P., Zanotti, G., Ferraris, G., Catti, M., 2011, Oxford.
2. http://www.iucr.org/education/pamphlets
3. Teaching aids supplied by lecturer