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Related Concept Videos

Determination of Crystal Structures01:29

Determination of Crystal Structures

In the late 1800s, the revelation that light extended beyond visible wavelengths led to the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen. Recognized as high-energy electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths, X-rays prompted exploration into their interaction with crystals. Max von Laue proposed in 1912 that the periodic arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules in crystals would cause them to diffract X-rays, a hypothesis confirmed through experiments with copper sulfate and zinc sulfide...
X-ray Crystallography02:18

X-ray Crystallography

The size of the unit cell and the arrangement of atoms in a crystal may be determined from measurements of the diffraction of X-rays by the crystal, termed X-ray crystallography.
Diffraction
Diffraction is the change in the direction of travel experienced by an electromagnetic wave when it encounters a physical barrier whose dimensions are comparable to those of the wavelength of the light. X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths about as long as the distance between neighboring...
Unit Cells01:18

Unit Cells

A crystal's internal structure is an orderly array of atoms, ions, or molecules, and the details of this array significantly influence the solid's properties. In a crystal, periodically repeating 'structural motifs' - which could be atoms, molecules, or groups thereof - create a 'space lattice.' This is essentially a three-dimensional, infinite array of points, each surrounded by its neighbors in an identical way, forming the basic structure of the crystal.A 'unit cell' is a theoretical...
Lattice Centering and Coordination Number02:33

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples01:10

X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples

X-ray diffraction or XRD is an analytical tool that utilizes X-rays to study ordered structures such as crystalline organic and inorganic samples, polycrystalline materials, proteins, carbohydrates, and drugs.
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are  scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The  X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...
Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...

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Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene
08:44

Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene

Published on: August 22, 2017

Unit-cell determination from randomly oriented electron-diffraction patterns.

Linhua Jiang1, Dilyana Georgieva, Henny W Zandbergen

  • 1Department of Biophysical Structural Chemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands. l.jiang@chem.leidenuniv.nl

Acta Crystallographica. Section D, Biological Crystallography
|July 1, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new algorithm determines unit cells from single diffraction patterns of multiple, randomly oriented nanocrystals. This method is crucial for beam-sensitive samples where traditional techniques fail, enabling structure solution.

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Measurements of Long-range Electronic Correlations During Femtosecond Diffraction Experiments Performed on Nanocrystals of Buckminsterfullerene
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Area of Science:

  • Crystallography
  • Materials Science
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Unit-cell determination is fundamental for solving crystal structures.
  • Conventional methods struggle with datasets containing single diffraction patterns from multiple, unknown crystal orientations.
  • Beam-sensitive nanocrystals often yield only such data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and present an algorithm for unit-cell determination from randomly oriented electron-diffraction patterns.
  • To address the limitations of standard unit-cell determination procedures for challenging nanocrystal datasets.

Main Methods:

  • An algorithm was designed to process randomly oriented electron-diffraction patterns.
  • The algorithm handles datasets with unknown angular relationships between diffraction patterns.
  • It enables the indexing of well-oriented patterns from the data.

Main Results:

  • The algorithm successfully determined unit cells for various nanocrystals.
  • Successfully applied to mineral, pharmaceutical, and protein nanocrystals.
  • Demonstrated effectiveness across orthorhombic, high-, and low-symmetry space groups.

Conclusions:

  • The presented algorithm provides a viable solution for unit-cell determination from challenging nanocrystal data.
  • It expands the possibilities for structure solution of beam-sensitive and small crystalline materials.
  • Facilitates crystallographic analysis when traditional methods are insufficient.