Measurement of miscut angles in the determination of Si lattice parameters

Abstract

Abstract The measurement of the angle between an interferometer’s front mirror and the diffracting planes is a critical aspect of the measurement of Si lattice parameters by combined x-ray and optical interferometry. In addition to being measured offline by x-ray diffraction, it was checked online by moving the analyser crystal transversely and observing the phase shift of the interference fringe. We describe the measurement procedure and give the miscut angle of the 28Si crystal, whose lattice parameter was an essential input datum for the determination of the Avogadro constant in the past and which is now used in the definition of the kilogram, based on counting atoms. These data will benefit others that might wish to repeat the measurement of the lattice parameters of this unique crystal.