Explain Crystal structure factor.
Answers
The structure factors, F(hkl), are the fundamental quantities on which the function of electron density depends. These are very important magnitudes, since the maxima of the electron density function, ρ(xyz), show the location of the atoms, that is, the internal structure of the crystals.
The structure factors represent the diffracted waves, which when colliding with a photographic plate, or a detector, leave their mark in the form of well-defined spots that form the diffraction pattern. Therefore, from an experimental point of view, a crystal structure is defined by as many structure factors as spots contained in the diffraction pattern.
Each of these waves shows an amplitude proportional to the atomic scattering factor, ƒj, that measures the X-ray scattering power of each atom.
Any crystalline model can be decomposed into simple lattices...
Suppose a crystal formed by the repetition of the atomic model constituted by the pair of atoms (red and blue) shown in the left figure. Of course, any crystalline model can be decomposed into as many simple lattices as atoms (look at the two lattices drawn on the left, in red and blue).