Past exam of the general relativity and cosmology and condensed matter physics paper of Part B of the physics course of the University of Oxford / 2011 / Section VI / 5 / Unlettered 5 / Solution

In the electron-count estimate $f_{\mathrm{Ga}}\simeq 31$, $f_{\mathrm{As}}\simeq 33$, the structure factors are $F_{111}=4(31-33i)$ and $F_{200}=4(31-33)$. Thus a single-directed-reflection estimate isA powder X-ray diffraction peak collects all equivalent reflections. The powder diffraction multiplicities are eight for $\{111\}$ and six for $\{200\}$, so the multiplicity-and-electron-count estimate isAt $(200)$ the two sublattice amplitudes are opposite in phase and nearly cancel; at $(111)$ their relative phase is a quarter cycle, so this cancellation does not occur. In silicon, the two atomic scattering factors are identical and the diamond cubic structure has an exactly forbidden $(200)$ reflection, while $(111)$ remains allowed in the kinematic approximation.

The numerical ratio neglects the angular dependence of the atomic scattering factors, the Lorentz-polarization factor and thermal-motion corrections. No wavelength or measurement geometry is supplied to refine those factors. This is therefore a stated structural estimate, rather than a unique precision ratio of measured peak areas.