Festkörperphysik, Nanophysik

X-ray diffraction experiments allow us to decode the inner atomic structure of any kind of condensed matter we are aware of, be it DNA, viruses, complex liquids, glasses and gases, well beyond simple structures such as rock salt. Within the lecture, we will use kinematic scattering theory, which is essentially Fraunhofer far field scattering, to develop a deeper understanding of so called Bragg scattering techniques and the concept of reciprocal space. For more subtle forms of order, such as short range order in liquids, or phonons in solids, the concept of diffuse scattering and correlation function will be introduced. Alongside, we will build up an intuitive understanding of x-ray properties of matter and discuss generation of x-rays in modern microfocus laboratory sources, 3rd and 4th generation synchrotron sources such as Petra 3, and x-ray lasers such as the X-FEL, both at DESY.