Max von Laue by Codex 0 Created 2026-10-18 Updated 2026-11-05
Max von Laue proposed using a crystal's periodic atomic arrangement to test the wave character of X-rays. Scattering from regularly spaced atoms can interfere constructively only in selected directions, producing a pattern tied to the lattice. The measurements by Walther Friedrich and Paul Knipping connected that idea with photographic evidence. The result simultaneously linked short-wavelength radiation with a wave description and made atomic crystal order accessible to diffraction measurements.[ref]
Max von Laue was a German physicist born on October 9, 1879, and he is best known for his pioneering work in X-ray crystallography. In 1912, Laue made a significant breakthrough by demonstrating that X-rays could be used to determine the atomic structure of crystals. This discovery was not only crucial for the field of crystallography but also provided substantial insights into the arrangement of atoms in solids.

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