International
Tables for
Crystallography
Volume D
Physical properties of crystals
Edited by A. Authier

International Tables for Crystallography (2013). Vol. D. ch. 1.11, pp. 270-271

Section 1.11.2.2. Tensorial structure factors and forbidden reflections

V. E. Dmitrienko,a* A. Kirfelb and E. N. Ovchinnikovac

a A. V. Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Leninsky pr. 59, Moscow 119333, Russia,bSteinmann Institut der Universität Bonn, Poppelsdorfer Schloss, Bonn, D-53115, Germany, and cFaculty of Physics, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, Moscow 119991, Russia
Correspondence e-mail:  [email protected]

1.11.2.2. Tensorial structure factors and forbidden reflections

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In spite of its simplicity, equation (1.11.2.1)link to equation provides non-trivial restrictions on the tensorial structure factors of Bragg reflections. The sets of allowed reflections, listed in International Tables for Crystallography Volume A (Hahn, 2005link to reference) for all space groups and for all types of atom sites, are based on scalar X-ray susceptibility. In this case, reflections can be forbidden (i.e. they have zero intensity) owing to glide-plane and/or screw-axis symmetry operations. This is because the scalar atomic factors remain unchanged upon mirror reflection or rotation, so that the contributions from symmetry-related atoms to the structure factors can cancel each other. In contrast, atomic tensors are sensitive to both mirror reflections and rotations, and, in general, the tensor atomic factors of symmetry-related atoms have different orientations in space. As a result, forbidden reflections can in fact be excited just due to the anisotropy of susceptibility, so that the selection rules for possible reflections change.

It is easy to see how the most general tensor form of the structure factors can be deduced from equation (1.11.2.1)link to equation. The structure factor of a reflection with reciprocal-lattice vector Mathematical symbol is proportional to the Fourier harmonics of the susceptibility. The corresponding relations (Authier, 2005link to reference, 2008link to reference) simply have to be rewritten in tensorial form:Mathematical equationwhere Mathematical symbol is the classical electron radius, Mathematical symbol is the X-ray wavelength and Mathematical symbol is the volume of the unit cell.

1.11.2.2.1. Glide-plane forbidden reflections

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Considering first the glide-plane forbidden reflections, there may, for instance, exist a glide plane Mathematical symbol perpendicular to the Mathematical symbol axis, i.e. any point Mathematical symbol is transformed by this plane into Mathematical symbol. The corresponding matrix of this symmetry operation changes the sign of Mathematical symbol,Mathematical equationand the translation vector into Mathematical symbol. Substituting (1.11.2.4)link to equation into (1.11.2.1)link to equation and exchanging the integration variables in (1.11.2.3)link to equation, one obtains for the structure factors of reflections Mathematical symbolMathematical equationIf Mathematical symbol is scalar, i.e. Mathematical symbol, then Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol for odd Mathematical symbol, hence Mathematical symbol vanishes. This is the well known conventional extinction rule for a Mathematical symbol glide plane, see International Tables for Crystallography Volume A (Hahn, 2005link to reference). If, however, Mathematical symbol is a tensor, the mirror reflection Mathematical symbol changes the signs of the Mathematical symbol and Mathematical symbol tensor components [as is also obvious from equation (1.11.2.5)link to equation]. As a result, the Mathematical symbol and Mathematical symbol components should not vanish for Mathematical symbol and the tensor structure factor becomesMathematical equationIn general, the elements Mathematical symbol and Mathematical symbol are complex, and it should be emphasized from the symmetry point of view that they are different and arbitrary for different Mathematical symbol and Mathematical symbol. However, from the physical point of view, they can be readily expressed in terms of tensor atomic factors, where only those chemical elements are relevant whose absorption-edge energies are close to the incident radiation energy (see below).

It is also easy to see that for the non-forbidden (= allowed) reflections Mathematical symbol, the non-zero tensor elements are just those which vanish for the forbidden reflections:Mathematical equationHere the result is mainly provided by the diagonal elements Mathematical symbol, but there is still an anisotropic part that contributes to the structure factor, as expressed by the off-diagonal element. In principle, the effect on the total intensity as well as the element itself can be assessed by careful measurements using polarized radiation.

1.11.2.2.2. Screw-axis forbidden reflections

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For the screw-axis forbidden reflections, the most general form of the tensor structure factor can be found as before (Dmitrienko, 1983link to reference; see Table 1.11.2.1link to table). Again, as in the case of the glide plane, for each forbidden reflection all components of the tensor structure factor are determined by at most two independent complex elements Mathematical symbol and Mathematical symbol. There may, however, exist further restrictions on these tensor elements if other symmetry operations of the crystal space group are taken into account. For example, although there are Mathematical symbol screw axes in space group Mathematical symbol, Mathematical symbol and reflections Mathematical symbol remain forbidden because the lattice is body centred, and this applies not only to the dipole–dipole approximation considered here, but also within any other multipole approximation.

Table 1.11.2.1 | top | pdf |
The indices Mathematical symbol of the screw-axis/glide-plane forbidden reflections (Mathematical symbol) and independent components of their tensorial structure factors Mathematical symbol

Other components: Mathematical symbol, Mathematical symbol, Mathematical symbol. The direction of the z axis is selected along the corresponding screw axes. The last column lists different types of polarization properties defined in Section 1.11.3link to section.

Screw axis or glide plane Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Type
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol I
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol I
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol I
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol I
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 0 0  
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 0 0  
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol I
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 II
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 0 0 0  
Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 Mathematical symbol Mathematical symbol 0 II

In Table 1.11.2.1link to table, resulting from the dipole–dipole approximation, some reflections still remain forbidden. For instance, in the case of a Mathematical symbol screw axis, there is no anisotropy of susceptibility in the Mathematical symbol plane due to the inevitable presence of the threefold rotation axis. For Mathematical symbol and Mathematical symbol axes, the reflections with Mathematical symbol also remain forbidden because only dipole–dipole interaction (of X-rays) is taken into account, whereas it can be shown that, for example, quadrupole interaction permits the excitation of these reflections.

References

First citation Authier, A. (2005). Dynamical Theory of X-ray Diffraction. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
First citation Authier, A. (2008). In International Tables for Crystallography, Volume B, Reciprocal Space, edited by U. Shmueli, 3rd ed., pp. 626–646. Heidelberg: Springer.Google Scholar
First citation Dmitrienko, V. E. (1983). Forbidden reflections due to anisotropic X-ray susceptibility of crystals. Acta Cryst. A39, 29–35.Google Scholar
First citation Hahn, Th. (2005). Editor. International Tables for Crystallography, Volume A, Space-Group Symmetry, 5th ed. Heidelberg: Springer.Google Scholar








































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