X-Ray and Synchrotron Topography of Twinned Diamonds and Diamonds from Brazil

Abstract

X-ray diffraction topography, using both conventional and synchrotron sources, has been employd t reveal, to a resoltuoon of 1um, internal structural imperfections in diamonds from Brazil. Many of these diamonds were found to be twinned; and X-ray studies have been made of twinned diamonds from Brazil and elsewhere, in order to elucidate the mechanisms of twinning in diamond. Numerous X-ray topographs have been taken of contact twins (mcles), interpenetrant cubes and mulitple twins. The well collimated beam of synchrotron radiation at the SERV Daresbury Laboratory has proved most useful in revealing, in the forward reflexion Laue photographers, small twinned regions of diamons: the presence of which would have been mised by conventioanl methods.