The Debye–Waller factor, also known as the thermal factor or the static form factor, quantifies the effect of atomic vibrations on the scattering of neutrons or X-rays by a crystalline material. Specifically, it describes how much the intensity of scattered X-rays or neutrons is reduced due to the thermal motion of atoms within a crystal lattice. In a crystalline solid, atoms are not stationary but vibrate about their equilibrium positions due to thermal energy.
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