Sub-microsecond X-ray crystallography: techniques, challenges, and applications for materials science

• Published in: Crystallography reviews Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 210 - 232
• Main Author: Gorfman, Semën
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 03.07.2014; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Atoms & subatomic particles; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Crystallography; Crystals; Dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric materials; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Diffraction; Exact sciences and technology; ferroic materials; Materials science; microsecond dynamics; Physical properties; Physics; piezoelectrics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids; time-resolved X-ray diffraction; Ferroelastic domain; time-resolved X-ray diffraction; Ferroelectric domain; Solid state physics; XRD; Physical properties; Time resolved spectra; Texture; Piezoceramic materials; ferroic materials; X-ray crystallography; Time dependence; Time resolution; Reviews; Piezoelectric materials; piezoelectrics; microsecond dynamics; Resonance; Microstructure; Crystal structure
• ISSN: 0889-311X; 1476-3508
• DOI: 10.1080/0889311X.2014.908353

Dynamics of crystals is a subject of recent interest in solid-state physics and a challenge for modern X-ray crystallography. Time-dependent response of solids to an external perturbation on atomic and microstructural length scales is the key to understanding many physical properties. This paper reviews the challenges and opportunities for probing of sub-micro-, micro-, and millisecond dynamics of solids using the methods of X-ray crystallography. It starts with an overview of recent time-resolved X-ray diffraction techniques. It then focuses on the processes that are important for understanding functional materials: dynamics of ferroelectric and ferroelastic domain patterns, texture in piezoelectric ceramics, mechanical resonances in solids, and dynamics of structural disorder. Knowledge available from macroscopic experiments is summarized, and opportunities for X-ray crystallography to resolve existing controversies are presented. This paper suggests the possible synergy of macroscopic and X-ray crystallographic experimental techniques.