Experimental X-ray Physics

Knowledge:
The course will describe the basic interaction between X-ray radiation and materials, going from Thomson scattering from free electrons to the classical reciprocal space description of scattering from a crystal. Discussions of applications of X-rays will include the concepts of absorption, inelastic scattering, and imaging. The use of X-rays on an industrial scale will also be discussed. The exercises will focus on powder diffraction, x-ray small-angle scattering, and a visit to the DTU imaging centre (data analysis tutorial). During the visit to MAX IV in Lund, we will exploit the properties of synchrotron radiation.

Skills:
The student is expected to have the following skills after completing this course:

• Describe the X-ray radiation in the wave characteristic, its interaction with electrons and to establish the equation for Thompson scattering.
• Explain the scattering of atoms and molecules, and to establish formulas for the related scattering function.
• Being able to explain how X-rays are produced in the laboratory and at synchrotron X-ray facilities using bending magnets, wigglers and undulators, as well as the different characteristics of each source.
• Explain the spatial conformation of particles as based on small-angle scattering and the structure of simple crystals based on X-ray diffraction. Further explain the relationship between the reciprocal lattice, the Miller index and diffraction. The student must also be able to calculate the structure factors and the reflection from simple systems, including two-dimensional systems and to describe the effect of thermal fluctuations of diffraction.
• Analyse in detail a powder diffraction pattern, i.e distinguish between crystalline and amorphous Materials, be able to index different phases and discuss the concept of resolution and absorption.

Competences:
The student will be familiar with the application of X-Ray techniques in physics, chemistry, biophysics, materials science and biology and have "hands on" lab experience. The student will have insight into what type of information can be gained using X-ray methods, where such facilities exist, and which components are critical in the experiment.