Inquiry regarding Ashcroft and Mermin's page 365

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a passage from Ashcroft and Mermin regarding the conditions for constructive interference in electron scattering from a crystal surface. Participants are examining the mathematical relationships and conditions presented in the text, particularly focusing on the implications of equations (18.25) and (18.28) in the context of lattice vectors and wave vectors.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the derivation of relation (18.28), suggesting that the integers should not include the factor of 2π, based on their calculations involving the scalar product.
  • Another participant emphasizes that equation (18.25) must hold for all vectors joining lattice points, including cases where n_1 or n_2 equals zero, which they argue supports the conclusion that q_i should be integers.
  • A different participant reiterates the point about the validity of (18.25) for vectors with n_1=0 or n_2=0, suggesting that this leads to the conclusion that q_i should belong to the integers, while questioning the text's assertion that q_i belongs to 2π times the integers.
  • One participant proposes that the conditions described may correspond to Laue indices, which they believe should indeed be integers without the 2π factor.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the wave vector components q_i should include the factor of 2π or not. There is no consensus on the interpretation of the equations or the implications of the conditions presented in the text.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working through the implications of specific mathematical identities and relationships, with some assumptions about the definitions of the lattice vectors and the conditions for constructive interference remaining unresolved.

MathematicalPhysicist
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I'll write the passage from the text which doesn't seem to follow.

Aschroft and Mermin said:
Suppose, furthermore, that the crystal surface is a lattice plane perpendicular to the reciprocal lattice vector ##b_3##.
Choose a set of primitive vectors including ##b_3## for the reciprocal lattice, and primitive vectors ##a_i## for the direct lattice, satisfying:
(18.24) ##a_i\cdot b_j = 2\pi \delta_{ij}##.

If the electron beam penetrates so little that only scattering from the surface plane is significant, then the condition for constructive interference is that the change ##q## is the wave vector of the scattered electron satisfy:

(18.25) ##q\cdot d = 2\pi\times integer, \ \ \ \ \ q=k'-k##
for all vectors ##d## joining lattice points in the plane of the surface (cf. Eq. (6.5)).
Since such ##d## are perpendicular to ##b_3##, they can be written as:
(18.26) ##d = n_1a_1+n_2a_2##.

Writing ##q## in the general form:
(18.27) ##q= \sum_{i=1}^3 q_i b_i , ##

we find that conditions (18.25) and (18.26) require:
(18.28) ##q_1=2\pi \times integer##
##q_2 = 2\pi \times integer##
##q_3 = arbitrary##

For q_1 and q_2 I get that they should be integers without the multiple of ##2\pi##.

Here's my reasoning:
If I plug (18.27) back into the scalar product in (18.25) and also (18.26) and use the identity of (18.24) connecting ##a_i## and ##b_j##, I get:
$$2\pi \times integer = q_1n_1a_1\cdot b_1+q_2n_2a_2\cdot b_2 = 2\pi(q_1n_1+q_2n_2)$$

Divide by ##2\pi## and get: ##integer = q_1n_1+q_2n_2##.
So ##q_i \in \mathbb{Q}##.

How did they get relation (18.28)?

Thanks.
 
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You need to pay attention to the fact that 18.25 is valid for

Ashcroft/Mermn said:
all vectors d joining lattice points in the plane of the surface.

This means that it must also be valid for vectors with n_1=0 or n_2=0.
 
Cthugha said:
You need to pay attention to the fact that 18.25 is valid for
This means that it must also be valid for vectors with n_1=0 or n_2=0.
Ok, this implies that ##q_i\in \mathbb{Z}##, but they write that ##q_i \in 2\pi \mathbb{Z}##; why is that?
For ##i\in \{ 1,2\}## obviously.
 
MathematicalPhysicist said:
How did they get relation (18.28)?
I believe these are just Laue indices by this definition and should indeed be integers without the 2pi.
 

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