electron diffraction

American  

noun

Physics.

1. the phenomenon whereby electron waves scattered by the regularly spaced atoms of a crystal produce diffraction patterns characteristic of the crystal structure and the wavelength.

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Etymology

Origin of electron diffraction

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

Using the advanced analytical facilities at GIGCAS, the scientists applied techniques including cryogenic three-dimensional electron diffraction and NanoSIMS.

From Science Daily • Dec. 26, 2025

It underwent structural and compositional analysis using various techniques, including X-ray diffraction, Rietveld analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, and selected-area electron diffraction.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2024

In 2007 and 2008, respectively, crystallographers at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, and Stockholm University developed the first methods for detecting the 3D structures of molecules automatically using electron diffraction.

From Nature • Oct. 28, 2018

The 3D structure of some molecules, for example, results in mirror-image molecules that can have different chemical effects — but it is challenging to distinguish between these structures using electron diffraction.

From Nature • Oct. 28, 2018

Our work aims to develop a tabletop electron source capable of performing ultrafast electron diffraction on biological samples.

From Scientific American • Jun. 11, 2012