Anomalous diffraction effects observed on the x-ray diffraction patterns of decomposing supersaturated solid solutions

Abstract

The basic purpose of an x-ray study of the initial stage of the decomposition of a supersaturated solid solution is to determine the shape, size, and relative orientation of the anomalous-scattering regions in the reciprocal lattice (in reciprocal space) from the anomalous diffraction effects observed on the diffraction patterns. From the size, shape, and relative orientation of the various anomalous-scattering regions in reciprocal space one can draw quite reliable conclusions regarding the nature of the same distortions in the matrix lattice, due to the observed anomalous diffraction effects. An analytic method is proposed for calculating the anomalous-scattering regions in reciprocal space for the most general case of an unknown crystal orientation.