Abstract
AN interesting phenomenon is often shown in the X-ray rotation photographs of crystals. Photographs of this kind are obtained by causing a crystal to revolve steadily about an axis perpendicular to the direction of a fine pencil of homogeneous X-rays. As the crystal revolves, one set of planes after another comes to a favourable condition for reflecting the pencil and a corresponding spot appears upon the plate. The crystal is usually very small indeed, and the shape of the crystal largely determines the form of the spot. The complete photograph shows an array of spots which displays certain regularities of arrangement as exemplified in Pigs. 1,2, and 3. When the photographic plate is flat, the spots arrange themselves on hyperbolae as in Fig. 1; if a circular film is used the hyperbolae are replaced by straight lines as in Figs. 2 and 3. The phenomenon to which attention is now directed consists in the enhancement, sometimes a very great enhancement, of certain groups of the spots. The explanation is more readily understood if consideration is first given to an analogous case of greater simplicity.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
BRAGG, W. The Enhancement Principle in X-ray Photographs. Nature 121, 327–329 (1928). https://doi.org/10.1038/121327a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/121327a0