Understandable Unified Description about Diffraction and Scattering of X‐Ray and Visible Light Beams from Soft Matters in Terms of Educational Aspects

Abstract

In attempt to pursue easy understanding about 1) wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), 2) small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and 3) small angle light scattering (SALS) under polarization, teaching methods in this manuscript are focused on the concept that quantitative analysis above three phenomena are developed from a unified fundamental equation EE* (E: scattering amplitude, E*: the conjugate complex). The graduate students studying material science can understand the approach based on mathematical knowledge within undergraduate educational curriculum. This approach refers to two important points associated with the different developments. The first is the different wave lengths between X‐ray and visible light associated with different photon energy. When an incident X‐ray beam is entered in the polymer material, electrons in atoms behave as free electrons because of high photon energy. On the other hand, when visible light with low photon energy is entered, electrons of atom cause vibration on bottom of the potential box. These different electron behaviors emphasize to provide the different scattering modes of X‐ray and visible light. The second is the commentary about branching point about the mathematical treatments concerning X‐ray diffraction and scattering amplitude in spite of a unified equation represented by Equation (II‐1). This is explained in terms of focusing element scales. The diffraction and scattering in most of the textbooks have been written individually by different authors and then the descriptions have been never focused on the branching point.