Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

$X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples$ 01:10

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...

Determination of Crystal Structures

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 Crystallography

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Evidence for a Diagenetic Origin of Vera Rubin Ridge, Gale Crater, Mars: Summary and Synthesis of <i>Curiosity</i>'s Exploration Campaign.

Journal of geophysical research. Planets·2021

Same author

Identification of the Beagle 2 lander on Mars.

Royal Society open science·2017

Same author

Medical training therapy in lumbar syndromes.

Der Orthopade·2017

Same author

Phase-targeted X-ray diffraction.

Journal of applied crystallography·2016

Same author

A lightweight near-infrared spectrometer for the detection of trace atmospheric species.

The Review of scientific instruments·2010

Same author

[Medical training therapy in lumbar syndromes].

Der Orthopade·1999

Same journal

Case study of using the single-atom R1 method to solve a small protein structure.

Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations and advances·2026

Same journal

Beyond complementarity: a reverse-engineering framework for de novo crystal structure determination from EXAFS.

Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations and advances·2026

Same journal

Crystallography in Open Science and its open educational resources.

Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations and advances·2026

Same journal

From atoms to a data bank: optimizing transferability of electron-density symmetry.

Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations and advances·2026

Same journal

Twenty-Sixth General Assembly and International Congress of Crystallography, Melbourne, Australia, 22-29 August 2023.

Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations and advances·2026

Same journal

MIDAS: a quantitative framework for high-energy diffraction microscopy. Part II: accuracy, robustness and best practices.

Acta crystallographica. Section A, Foundations and advances·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 27, 2026

$Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction and Fluorescence Imaging of Mineral and Rock Samples$

Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction and Fluorescence Imaging of Mineral and Rock Samples

Published on: June 19, 2018

High-resolution X-ray diffraction with no sample preparation.

G M Hansford¹, S M R Turner¹, P Degryse²

¹Space Research Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, England.

Acta Crystallographica. Section A, Foundations and Advances

|June 30, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) in back-reflection geometry offers non-destructive analysis of unprepared samples. This high-resolution technique excels in phase identification and microstructural analysis, even for rare geological and cultural heritage materials.

Keywords:

back-reflection geometry cultural heritage artefacts energy-dispersive XRD non-destructive analysis sample preparation synchrotron experiments

More Related Videos

$Synthesis and Microdiffraction at Extreme Pressures and Temperatures$

Synthesis and Microdiffraction at Extreme Pressures and Temperatures

Published on: October 7, 2013

$High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2$

High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2

Published on: January 16, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 27, 2026

$Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction and Fluorescence Imaging of Mineral and Rock Samples$

Synchrotron X-ray Microdiffraction and Fluorescence Imaging of Mineral and Rock Samples

Published on: June 19, 2018

$Synthesis and Microdiffraction at Extreme Pressures and Temperatures$

Synthesis and Microdiffraction at Extreme Pressures and Temperatures

Published on: October 7, 2013

$High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2$

High Pressure Single Crystal Diffraction at PX^2

Published on: January 16, 2017

Area of Science:

Crystallography
Materials Science
Geology

Background:

Traditional X-ray diffraction (XRD) often requires extensive sample preparation, limiting its application to delicate or rare materials.
High-resolution analysis is crucial for precise material characterization but can be hindered by sample positioning and morphology.
Energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) offers an alternative approach to XRD analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the effectiveness of high-resolution back-reflection EDXRD for analyzing unprepared samples.
To demonstrate the technique's capabilities in phase identification, unit-cell parameter derivation, and microstructural analysis.
To explore the potential applications of this non-destructive method in geology, cultural heritage, and other scientific fields.

Main Methods:

Implementation of energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDXRD) in a back-reflection geometry at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron.
Utilizing pre-characterized geological materials to test and refine the analytical methods.
Application of the technique to unprepared rock, fossil, archaeological, and cultural heritage samples.

Main Results:

Demonstrated extreme insensitivity to sample morphology and positioning, enabling high-quality analysis.
Successfully performed phase identification, derived precise unit-cell parameters, and extracted microstructural information from unprepared samples.
Identified a specific muscovite polytype in an unprepared mica schist sample, showcasing the technique's advantage over traditional methods.

Conclusions:

High-resolution back-reflection EDXRD is a powerful, non-destructive technique for analyzing unprepared geological and other materials.
The method has significant potential for the crystallographic analysis of cultural heritage artifacts, aiding in research and conservation.
The technique's ability to avoid sample extraction makes it invaluable for rare and high-value objects in various scientific disciplines.