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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...
Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization01:25

Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization

Crystallization is a phase transformation process in which crystals are precipitated from a supersaturated solution or formed from other sources. During crystallization, atoms or molecules arrange themselves into a well-defined, rigid crystal lattice to minimize energy.
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent – the...
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...
Crystal Density01:19

Crystal Density

The crystal lattice structure of a material allows us to determine how many molecules exist in its unit cell. With this information, alongside the unit-cell parameters - three distance parameters (a, b, c) and three angular parameters (α, β, γ).Density (ρ) = (Z × M) / (a × b × c × NA)where:Z is the number of formula units per unit cellM is the molar mass of the substancea, b, and c are the edge lengths of the unit cellNA is Avogadro’s numberFor a simple cubic lattice, atoms are located only at...
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...
Symmetry Elements in a Crystal01:27

Symmetry Elements in a Crystal

Crystal symmetry operations are isometric transformations that map objects onto indistinguishable copies while preserving distances, angles, and volumes. The simplest symmetry operation is translation, which shifts the entire infinite crystal lattice parallelly by a translation vector.Crystallographic rotations involve rotations by an angle of 2π/n around an axis without changing the positions of points on the axis. It is called the rotational axis of the symmetry, denoted by n. The combination...

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On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature
07:42

On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature

Published on: March 11, 2022

Crystals in light.

Bart Kahr1, John Freudenthal, Erica Gunn

  • 1Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA. bart.kahr@nyu.edu

Accounts of Chemical Research
|February 26, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study leverages digital electrophotometry and advanced imaging techniques to analyze the optical properties of crystals, revealing new insights into their structure and behavior. The research connects historical photography with modern crystal optics, highlighting the evolution of quantitative analysis in materials science.

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Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering
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Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
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Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Published on: November 30, 2012

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Last Updated: Jun 15, 2026

On-Chip Crystallization and Large-Scale Serial Diffraction at Room Temperature
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Published on: March 11, 2022

Growing Protein Crystals with Distinct Dimensions Using Automated Crystallization Coupled with In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering
09:15

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Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
11:08

Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities

Published on: November 30, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Crystal optics and materials science.
  • Photonic materials and optical crystallography.
  • Advanced imaging and quantitative analysis.

Background:

  • Historical reliance on visual photometry for crystal optics.
  • Limitations of early photography in quantitative light intensity measurement.
  • The emergence of digital electrophotometry and solid-state cameras.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the union of optical crystallography and photography.
  • To analyze crystals with acquired optical properties like birefringence and dichroism.
  • To investigate the role of crystals in hosting excited molecules and studying photodynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Digital electrophotometry for quantitative intensity data acquisition.
  • Imaging techniques utilizing polarized light.
  • Adoption of new methods for measuring and imaging optical rotatory power.

Main Results:

  • Accurate intensity data enables discrimination of small optical effects.
  • Identification of unique crystalloptical effects in dissymmetric crystals.
  • Demonstration of dyed crystals as a generalization of single crystal matrix isolation.
  • Extended molecular lifetimes in crystals for laser gain media and single-molecule studies.
  • Luminophores as guests in crystals to probe growth mechanisms.
  • Comparison of chiroptical anisotropies with quantum chemical calculations.
  • Artifacts in polycrystalline patterns provide insights into texture and mesoscale chemistry.

Conclusions:

  • Digital imaging has revolutionized quantitative analysis in crystal optics.
  • Crystals serve as versatile matrices for hosting molecules and studying photophysical processes.
  • Further research is needed for rapid determination and interpretation of chiroptical properties in crystals.