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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...

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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2
11:32

High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2

Published on: January 16, 2017

High-pressure crystallography.

Malcolm I McMahon1

  • 1SUPA, Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK. mim@ph.ed.ac.uk

Topics in Current Chemistry
|May 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

High-pressure crystallography reveals material transformations like metallisation and superconductivity. Modern techniques allow detailed crystal structure determination at extreme pressures, enabling new scientific discoveries.

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Area of Science:

  • Condensed matter physics
  • Materials science
  • Crystallography

Background:

  • Pressure significantly alters inter-atomic distances, driving phenomena like metallisation, amorphisation, superconductivity, and polymerisation.
  • Understanding these pressure-induced phenomena relies on determining crystal structures via X-ray or neutron diffraction.
  • While high-pressure generation tools (above 100 GPa) existed by the mid-1970s, detailed structural analysis became feasible only in the early 1990s.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the historical development of high-pressure crystallography.
  • To describe current techniques for obtaining and studying materials under high pressure.
  • To explore future possibilities in high-pressure crystallographic research.

Main Methods:

  • Utilisation of X-ray and neutron diffraction for crystal structure determination.
  • Application of advanced techniques for compressing matter to pressures exceeding 1 million atmospheres (100 GPa).
  • Leveraging modern detectors and synchrotron sources for crystallographic studies.

Main Results:

  • Demonstration of detailed crystal structure determination at pressures above 100 GPa since the early 1990s.
  • Illustration of current capabilities through recent crystallographic studies of elements.
  • Highlighting the advancements in understanding pressure-induced phenomena.

Conclusions:

  • High-pressure crystallography has evolved significantly, enabling detailed structural insights at extreme conditions.
  • Modern synchrotron sources and detectors have revolutionized the field.
  • Future research holds promise for further advancements in exploring materials under extreme pressure.