Howdie folks:
I'm preparing my annual X-ray diffraction lectures, and am at the
point where one replaces the atomic scattering factor with the
integrated electron density.
It has always bothered me how this is a bit obscure, since it really
lies at the heart of the physical description.
Is there a straightforward way to explain this?
I've vacillated between two approaches. One is to make the analogy to
Fraunhofer diffraction, and the other is to make use of the First-
Order Born Approximation (which is the quantum-mechanical analogue,
and seems more intuitive to me). Both of these seem to confuse
students, because (unfortunately) they don't seem to teach these
things to undergraduates any more, and they are a bit convoluted (so
to speak).
Is there a better way?
Thanks in advance.
Bill
