X-Ray Diffraction: Solving for θ Using nλ=2dsinθ

[dawud]

Homework Statement

It's got a diagram in it so I have just attached a picture of it.

Homework Equations

nλ=2dsinθ

The Attempt at a Solution

I've really got no idea how to proceed with this one. I think you have to consider the effect of the thin film as well. Any ideas?

 

[haruspex]

From a quick reading up on the subject (of which previously I was blissfully ignorant), I would say that the incoming and outgoing beams must make the same angle to the planes in the crystal. Since it's powdered, the planes will be at every angle, but diffraction is only going to observed in those crystals with planes at the bisecting angle. So given the geometry of the source, sample and observed interference, you can deduce the angle of the crystal planes responsible.
Having done that, you can compute the plane spacing.

 

[BvU]

3. But you can make some assumptions. You have a ##\lambda##, there are 2 ##\theta##s. If n= 1, what is d for each of these ?

Once again, even quick replies cross. But there is a starting point.

 

[dawud]

Thanks a lot guys! I've got it now!

 

[HalfLostAndSearching]

X-ray diffraction is a powerful technique used in materials science to determine the crystal structure of a material. It works by shining a beam of X-rays onto a sample and measuring the angles at which the X-rays are diffracted. The equation nλ=2dsinθ is known as Bragg's law and is used to calculate the angle θ at which the X-rays are diffracted.

In this equation, n is the order of the diffraction peak, λ is the wavelength of the X-rays, d is the spacing between crystal planes, and θ is the diffraction angle. The spacing between crystal planes, d, is a characteristic of the crystal structure and can be calculated using the Miller indices of the planes.

To solve for θ, we can rearrange the equation to θ=sin^-1(nλ/2d). This means that by measuring the diffraction angle, θ, and knowing the wavelength of the X-rays and the crystal structure, we can determine the spacing between the crystal planes.

In order to take into account the effect of the thin film, we can use the equation nλ=2ntsinθ, where t is the thickness of the film. This takes into account the additional path length the X-rays travel through the film before reaching the crystal planes.

Overall, X-ray diffraction is a complex but powerful technique for studying the atomic structure of materials. By understanding the principles behind Bragg's law, we can use X-ray diffraction to solve for θ and gain valuable insights into the crystal structure of a material.