Common Arc Method for Diffraction Pattern Orientation

Very short pulses of x-ray free-electron lasers opened the way to obtain diffraction signal from single particles beyond the radiation dose limit. For 3D structure reconstruction many patterns are recorded in the object's unknown orientation. We describe a method for orientation of continuous diffraction patterns of non-periodic objects, utilizing intensity correlations in the curved intersections of the corresponding Ewald spheres, hence named Common Arc orientation. Present implementation of the algorithm optionally takes into account the Friedel law, handles missing data and is capable to determine the point group of symmetric objects. Its performance is demonstrated on simulated diffraction datasets and verification of the results indicates high orientation accuracy even at low signal levels. The Common Arc method fills a gap in the wide palette of the orientation methods.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figure

Dynamics in a cluster under the influence of intense femtosecond hard x-ray pulses

In this paper we examine the behavior of small cluster of atoms in a short (10-50 fs) very intense hard x-ray (10 keV) pulse. We use numerical modeling based on the non-relativistic classical equation of motion. Quantum processes are taken into account by the respective cross sections. We show that there is a Coulomb explosion, which has a different dynamics than one finds in classical laser driven cluster explosions. We discuss the consequences of our results to single molecule imaging by the free electron laser pulses.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figure

Nonlinear hydrodynamic theory of crystallization

We present an isothermal fluctuating nonlinear hydrodynamic theory of crystallization in molecular liquids. A dynamic coarse-graining technique is used to derive the velocity field, a phenomenology, which allows a direct coupling between the free energy functional of the classical Density Functional Theory and the Navier-Stokes equation. Contrary to the Ginzburg-Landau type amplitude theories, the dynamic response to elastic deformations is described by parameter-free kinetic equations. Employing our approach to the free energy functional of the Phase-Field Crystal model, we recover the classical spectrum for the phonons and the steady-state growth fronts. The capillary wave spectrum of the equilibrium crystal-liquid interface is in a good qualitative agreement with the molecular dynamics simulations

Holographic Methods as Local Probes of the Atomic Order in Solids

In the last fifteen years several techniques based on the holographic principle have been developed for the study of the 3D local order in solids. These methods use various particles: electrons, hard x-ray photons, gamma photons, or neutrons to image the atoms. Although the practical realisation of the various imaging experiments is very different, there is a common thread; the use of inside reference points for holographic imaging. In this paper we outline the basics of atomic resolution holography using inside reference points, especially concentrating to the hard x-ray case. Further, we outline the experimental requirements and what has been practically realized in the last decade. At last we give examples of applications and future perspectives.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure

Faceting and branching in 2D crystal growth

The official published version of the Article can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 APSUsing atomic scale time-dependent density functional calculations we confirm that both diffusion-controlled and diffusionless crystallization modes exist in simple 2D systems. We provide theoretical evidence that a faceted to nonfaceted transition is coupled to these crystallization modes, and faceting is governed by the local supersaturation at the fluid-crystalline interface. We also show that competing modes of crystallization have a major influence on mesopattern formation. Irregularly branched and porous structures are emerging at the crossover of the crystallization modes. The proposed branching mechanism differs essentially from dendritic fingering driven by diffusive instability.This work has been supported by the EU FP7 Collaborative Project ENSEMBLE under Grant Agreement NMP4-SL-2008-213669 and by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences under Contract No. OTKA-K-62588

Hydrodynamic theory of freezing: Nucleation and polycrystalline growth

Structural aspects of crystal nucleation in undercooled liquids are explored using a nonlinear hydrodynamic theory of crystallization proposed recently [G. I. Toth et al., J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 26, 055001 (2014)], which is based on combining fluctuating hydrodynamics with the phase-field crystal theory. We show that in this hydrodynamic approach not only homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation processes are accessible, but also growth front nucleation, which leads to the formation of new (differently oriented) grains at the solid-liquid front in highly undercooled systems. Formation of dislocations at the solid-liquid interface and interference of density waves ahead of the crystallization front are responsible for the appearance of the new orientations at the growth front that lead to spherulite-like nanostructures

A fázisprobléma megoldásának új módszerei = New methods for solving the phase problem

A kristályos anyagok szerkezetének ab initio meghatározásához megkerülhetetlen a krisztallográfiai fázisprobléma megoldása. Kutatásunk során erre a feladatra dolgoztunk ki új eljárást, amely a klasszikus direkt módszertől teljesen különböző elven működik. A töltésalternáló (charge flipping) módszer meglepően merész alapfeltevése az, hogy kellően jó felbontás esetén a megoldáshoz nincs szükség sem előzetes kémiai vagy szimmetria ismeretekre, sem az atomicitás elvére vagy statisztikus fázisösszefüggésekre. Szükségesek viszont a cella ürességét kihasználó gyenge perturbációk, amelyekkel a hiányzó fázisok terének nagy dimenziószámát le lehet csökkenteni. A megvalósított algoritmus a valós és reciprok terek között gyors Fourier-transzformációval iterál, a valós térben az elektronsűrűség előjelét egy kis küszöbszint alatt megváltoztatja, míg a reciprok térben csak a gyenge reflexiók fázisait tolja el. Az iterációs folyamat nem igényel külső beavatkozást: a megoldást valamely jósági tényező hirtelen zuhanása jelzi. Könnyű adaptálhatóságának köszönhetően a töltésalternálás módszere az első közlemény megjelenése óta rohamosan terjed. Alkalmazhatósága mára a diffrakciós szerkezetmeghatározás több területén nyert bizonyosságot; a listán egykristály és pordiffrakciós adatok, periodikus, pszeudoszimmetrikus és modulált szerkezetek, ill. kvázikristályok is vannak. Az algoritmust már három felhasználói programcsomag kínálja alternatívaként nehéz esetek elemzésére. | The solution of the crystallographic phase problem is essential for the ab inito determination of crystalline structures. For this purpose we developed a new method called charge flipping. It is based on principles very different from that of classical direct methods. The primary assumption of charge flipping is the following: given sufficiently high-resolution diffraction data, we need neither preliminary information on chemical composition or symmetry, nor the principle of atomicity or statistical phase relations. Instead, we must rely on the emptiness of the unit cell and decrease the dimensionality of the missing phases through small perturbations. The new algorithm iterates between the real and reciprocal spaces by the fast Fourier transform, in real space it changes the sign of electron density below a small positive threshold, while in reciprocal space it shifts the phases of weak reflections. The whole process is deterministic and proceeds without user intervention, the solution is signified by a sharp drop of some figure of merit. Due to its deceptive simplicity and easy implementation the charge flipping method quickly propagates. Its applicability is already proven in several fields of structural science, the list contains using single crystal and powder data of periodic, pseudo-symmetric and modulated structures and also quasicrystals. The algorithm is already offered as an alternative by three user programs for the treatment of difficult cases