Materials Diffractometry

Timetable

7 x 1h 37min lectures + 7 x 3 h 14 min lab/tutorial (15 h lectures + 30 h lab)

Module aim (aims)

The main aim of this course is to acquaint students with the theoretical aspects of various materials diffractometry (defects, mosaicity, texture, preferential orientation, polymorphism, concomitant phases, amorphization, polymers, alloys, grain size, surface roughness and interfaces etc.) as well as the practice of X-ray powder and single-crystal diffractometry using various types of radiation (X-rays, neutrons, muons and electrons) in a modern laboratory. Students will gain confidence in competent reading of the materials-sciences literature. They will learn:
• the main designs of modern diffractometers their operation;
• analysis of powder X-ray diffraction patterns;
• what information can be extracted from the powder X-ray diffraction pattern;
• practical aspects of the qualitative and quantitative X-ray analysis;
• modern electron diffraction and soft-X-rays microscopy - towards in vivo structural observations;
• micro-tomography;
• special facilities for diffraction studies: synchrotrons; reactors; spallation sources; electron lasers.

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

Very basic knowledge in Crystallography

Syllabus

Lecture: 15h; Tutorial: 30hTitles of classes:

Week 1: Real materials and powerful modern sources of radiation;

Week 2: Diffraction on a real material;

Week 3: Powder diffraction as a desk-top tool for materials characterization;

Week 4: New qualities of the microbeams;

Week 5: The historical requirements and the modern qualities of neutrons diffraction;

Week 6: Unbelievable capabilities of modern electron microscopy;

Week 7: Legal issues of patents and diffractometry

Week 8: Final exam Hands-on practical exercises using professional diffractometers and databases (preferentially grouped into 4-6 hours sessions.

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. Annual reports from European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (http://www.esrf.eu/), Institute Laue-Langevin (www.ill.eu), Synchrotrons Diamond, Soleil (www.synchrotron-soleil.fr), Spring-8 (http://www.spring8.or.jp/en/) etc.