Full elasticity tensor from thermal diffuse scattering

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to accurately determine the full elasticity tensor of a crystal using thermal diffuse scattering data from a single diffraction experiment, enabling simultaneous structural and elastic property analysis.

Contribution

The method provides a model-free, precise way to measure all elastic constants from thermal diffuse scattering near Bragg reflections in a single experiment.

Findings

Accurate elastic constants obtained for calcite and magnesium oxide.

The approach is reliable and can be combined with crystal structure analysis.

The method is applicable to different crystal systems.

Abstract

We present a method for the precise determination of the full elasticity tensor from a single crystal diffraction experiment using monochromatic X-rays. For the two benchmark systems calcite and magnesium oxide we show that the measurement of thermal diffuse scattering in the proximity of Bragg reflections provides accurate values of the complete set of elastic constants. This approach allows for a reliable and model free determination of the elastic properties and can be performed together with crystal structure investigation in the same experiment.