On `spike' diffuse reflections in electron diffraction patterns of diamonds

The commonest natural diamonds (classification type Ia) contain platelet defects on {100}, usually with mean diameters in the 20 to 100 nm range, which generate disorder diffuse X-ray reflections in the form of (100) spikes through reciprocal-lattice points. Corresponding spikes in electron diffraction patterns of diamonds, recorded with 100 and 120 kV electrons, have been investigated. It has been established that (100) spikes appear most strongly in electron diffraction patterns of diamonds very rich in platelets, and are absent in the case of platelet-free diamonds (types IIa and IIb). Spikes from diamonds containing relatively large platelets are sharper than those from diamonds containing very small platelets. Multiple scattering of electrons prevents measurement of the dependence of spike intensity upon diffraction order as can be done in the X-ray case. Some experiments with spike electron reflections have been performed that are impossible in the X-ray case. It has been shown that when the crystal volume sampled by the electron beam contains only one platelet, then the spike distribution reduces to a pattern containing only spikes normal to the platelet concerned. Also, dark-field weak-beam microscopy has been applied, by selecting one spike only in the diffraction pattern, to identify orientations of small platelets through the imaging of only those platelets normal to the spike selected.