Chapter 9 - Other Diffraction Methods

Abstract

This chapter provides brief, qualitative descriptions of other diffraction methods. First is X-ray diffraction by fibers rather than crystals. Then it moves on to one dimension, with diffraction by amorphous materials like powders and solutions. It also highlights diffraction using other forms of radiation, specifically neutrons and electrons. The chapter presents a detailed description of how each type of diffraction experiment provides structural information that can complement or supplement information from single-crystal X-ray diffraction and explores the Laue diffraction, which allows the collection of a full diffraction data set from a single brief exposure of a crystal to polychromatic X-radiation. Laue diffraction opens the door to time-resolved crystallography, yielding crystallographic models of intermediate states in chemical reactions. To exemplify, references to research articles have been provided for each of the crystallographic methods. There are other diffraction methods, which are fiber diffraction, neutron diffraction, and electron diffraction and cryoelectron microscopy. The chapter concludes with the claim that the same geometric and mathematical principles lie at the root of all types of diffraction experiments.