Symmetry of platelet defects in diamond: new insights with synchrotron light

Abstract

Mapping of reciprocal space for Ia-type diamond single crystals with synchrotron radiation has uncovered a variety of diffuse scattering features, some of them have not been observed before. The main component of diffuse scattering in the form of diffuse rods corresponds to a set of platelets which join together blocks of diamond structure. The platelets are ordered structural entities with lattice periodicity 8^{1/2} a_0 \times (1/2)^{1/2} a_0 \times 0.55a_0, where a_0 is a unit-cell dimension of diamond. Intensity distribution along the rods has been measured and used for recognition of symmetry elements of the platelet structure. These findings, together with previously reported transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, provide strong constraints for atomistic modelling of the platelet structure.