Name: ______________________

Student Number: _____________

MECH 4430 – Materials Characterization

Assignment 1 on Feb 24th, 2020 – Due date March 6th, 2020

Answer all questions (100 points in total)

1. Multiple choice questions (4 marks X 10 questions = 40 marks)

(Please indicate the most correct answer, no partial marks will be given.

Question 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10
Answer C D D D B A D C D D

1.1 Given the figure shown on the right,

which of the following about
magnification of the light
microscope is NOT true?
(A) The total magnification 𝑀 =
(𝑣 −𝑓 )(𝑣 −𝑓 )
𝑀1 𝑀2 = 1 𝑓1 𝑓 2 2
1 2
(B) Magnification M can be
changed with lens of different f
(C) The magnification of this light
microscope can be increased
infinitely
(D) None of above

1.2 We often have a much worse resolution of a (A) Chromatic aberration

lens than the calculated one. Which of the (B) Spherical aberration
following statement is/are the reason(s) for (C) Curvature of field
this deviation? (D) All of above

1.3 Magnification of a microscope is limited by its resolution. Which of the following is possible to
increase the resolution of a microscope?
(A) Use shorter wavelength of incident light
(B) Increase the numerical aperture 𝜇𝑆𝑖𝑛𝛼
(C) Use electron beam as incident radiation
(D) All of the above

1.4 Depth of field Df refers to the range of positions for an object in which image sharpness does not
𝑑 2𝑅 1.22𝜆
change. Df = = = ; Which of the following is incorrect ?
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛼 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛼 𝜇 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝛼

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 Name: ______________________

Student Number: _____________

(A) Large depth of field Df and high resolution R (i.e. small value of R) cannot be achieved
simultaneously
(B) For light microscope, depth of field Df is at same order of magnitude with resolution R
(C) One can reduce α to improve the depth of field, but only at expense of resolution.
(D) Depth of field is same as depth of focus

1.5 For light optical microscope, the illuminating system generates two sets of conjugate focal planes
along its optic axis. One set of focal planes is for illuminating rays; these are known as the conjugate
aperture planes. Another set comprises the image-forming rays called the conjugate field planes. In
normal operation, we only use_________________
(A) Illuminating rays

(B) Image formation rays

(C) Both illuminating rays and image formation rays

(D) None of the above

1.6 In real space where true crystal lattice exists, (A) [110]
there is a diffraction crystallographic plane (B) [111]
(110).Which of the following is its corresponding (C) [001]
reciprocal vector in the reciprocal space? (D) [011]

1.7 Shown in the figure below is a reciprocal lattice plane of a tetragonal crystal. Which of the following
statement is NOT true?

(A) The point 1,1,0 in this reciprocal lattice

represents the diffraction spot of
crystallographic plane (110) in the real
space
(B) The reciprocal vector [110] is
perpendicular to the crystallographic
plane (110) in the real space
(C) The reciprocal lattice plane shown in the
figure is perpendicular to the zone axis
[001] in real space
(D) The reciprocal vector a* shown in the
figure is parallel to the unit vector [100]
in real space. This is not only true for
tetragonal crystal, but also true for all
crystal system.

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 Name: ______________________

Student Number: _____________

1.8 As shown in the figure, peak broadening

occurs in real X-ray diffraction ((a)) compared to
the ideal case ((b)). Which of the following is the
reason for the peak broadening?

(A) Crystal size effect, i.e. when the sample is very

thin, peak broadening will occur
(B) Instrumentation in X-ray diffraction, i.e. the
incident X-ray is not perfectly parallel
(C) both (A) and (B)
(D) None of the above
1.9 X-ray diffraction is widely used for various applications. Which of the following is where X-ray
diffraction applied?

(A) Identify the crystal phase

(B) Measure residual stress
(C) Crystal phase quantitative measurement
(D) All of above

1.10 X-ray diffraction by a crystal arises from X-ray scattering by individual atoms in the crystal. Which of
the following statement is NOT true about the X-ray scattering by atoms in a crystal?

(A) X-ray is scattered by electrons of individual atoms

(B) An electron scatters incident X-ray beam in all directions in space
(C) Scattering intensity is a function of the angle between the incident beam and the scattering
direction 2θ
(D) The total scattering intensity of a atom at a certain scattering angle is just the simple sum of
intensities of all electrons in the atom

2
(a) calculate the resolution and the depth of field of the Magnification/NA
objective lenses of a light microscope, listed on the 5x/0.13
right. The refractive index of air is 1, assume blue 10x/0.25
light with wavelength 475nm is used in the 20x/0.40
microscope. (10 marks) 50x/0.70
100x/0.90

(b) The halogen lamp is commonly used as light source in real application, please explain the reason
we often have a much worse resolution of lens than the calculated one. (6 marks)

0.61 sin  1.22

(a) Assume the wavelength  of blue light is 475nm, R = ; tan a = ; Df = ;
NA 1 − sin 
2 NA tan 

The following 5 groups of calculation, with each 2 marks

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 Name: ______________________

Student Number: _____________

M NA Resolution r (μm) DOF (μm)

0.61 0.61 475

R= = = 2228.85nm 1.22  475
NA 0.13 Df = = 33998.96nm =34μm
5x 0.13 =2.23μm 0.132 / 1 − 0.132

0.61 0.61 475

R= = = 1159nm; 1.22  475
NA 0.25 Df = = 8977.58nm =8.98μm
10x 0.25 =1.16μm 0.252 / 1 − 0.252

0.61 0.61 475

R= = = 724.375nm; 1.22  475
NA 0.40 Df = = 3319.50nm =3.32 μm
20x 0.40 =0.724 μm 0.402 / 1 − 0.402

0.61 0.61 475

R= = = 413.93nm; 1.22  475
NA 0.70 Df = = 844.58nm ==0.845 μm
50x 0.70 =0.414 μm 0.702 / 1 − 0.702

0.61 0.61 475

R= = = 321.94nm; 1.22  475
NA 0.90 Df = = 311.85nm =0.312 μm
100x 0.90 =0.322 μm 0.902 / 1 − 0.902

(b) Because of Chromatic abbreviation; spherical aberration; and curvature of field. (each reason 2
marks, total 6 marks)

3 In order to get the cross-sectional image of a steel pipe and study its average grain size, describe
briefly a specimen preparation procedure. (8 marks)
a. diamond saw cutting
b. epoxy cold mounting
c. grinding and polishing
d. etching
(Each step 2 marks)

4 The structure extinction of intensity during X-Ray diffraction can be calculated by the structure
factor 𝑭𝒉𝒌𝒍 = ∑𝑵
𝒏 𝒇𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒑 [𝟐𝝅𝒊(𝒉𝒖𝒏 + 𝒌𝒗𝒏 + 𝒍𝒘𝒏 )] . Please show whether or not the diffraction by

crystallographic plane (111) can be detected in Body-centered-cubic (BCC) (8 marks) and Face-
centered-cubic (FCC) (8 marks), respectively.

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 Name: ______________________

Student Number: _____________

(1) In BCC, there are two atoms in its unit cell, i.e. (0,0,0) and (0.5, 0.5, 0.5)
𝑭𝟏𝟏𝟏 = 𝒇𝒆𝒙 𝒑[𝟐𝝅𝒊(𝟏 × 𝟎 + 𝟏 × 𝟎 + 𝟏 × 𝟎)] + 𝒇𝒆𝒙 𝒑[𝟐𝝅𝒊(𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓 + 𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓 + 𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓)]
= 𝒇 + 𝒇𝒆𝒙𝒑(𝟑𝝅𝒊) = 𝒇 − 𝒇 = 𝟎

So the diffraction by (111) planes are NOT detectable in BCC crystal system.

(2) In FCC, there are four atoms in its unit cell, i.e. (0,0,0), (0.5, 0.5, 0), (0.5, 0, 0.5) and (0,
0.5, 0.5)
𝑭𝟏𝟏𝟏 = 𝒇𝒆𝒙 𝒑[𝟐𝝅𝒊(𝟏 × 𝟎 + 𝟏 × 𝟎 + 𝟏 × 𝟎)] + 𝒇𝒆𝒙 𝒑[𝟐𝝅𝒊(𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓 + 𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓 + 𝟏 × 𝟎)]
+ 𝒇𝒆𝒙 𝒑[𝟐𝝅𝒊(𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓 + 𝟏 × 𝟎 + 𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓)]
+ 𝒇𝒆𝒙 𝒑[𝟐𝝅𝒊(𝟏 × 𝟎 + 𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓 + 𝟏 × 𝟎. 𝟓)] = 𝒇 + 𝟑𝒇𝒆𝒙𝒑(𝟐𝝅𝒊) = 𝟒𝒇

So the diffraction by (111) planes are detectable in FCC crystal system.

5. (1) Calculate the 2θ values in the X-ray diffraction spectrum for the following crystallographic planes
of copper metal (FCC): (100), (110), (111), (200), (220), (322), (400). Assume the X-ray radiation is Cu Kα1
(wavelength = 0.1542nm). The lattice parameter for FCC copper is a= 0.3615nm. (12 marks)

(100) → Not appear in the spectrum This conclusion is 2 marks

(110) →Not appear in the spectrum due to
structure extinction

Use Bragg’s condition (111) → 43.5° Each calculation is 2 marks

nλ=2dSinθ (200) → 50.5°
𝑎
and d= 2 2 2 (220) → 74.1°
√ℎ +𝑘 +𝑙
(222) → 95.2°
(400) → 117.1°

(2) If diffraction peaks of a crystalline solid shift to the higher 2θ diffraction angles by internal stress, is
this tensile or compressive stress? (4 marks)

θ↑ d↓ compressive stress