The Theory of Crystal Structure Analysis

Structure analysis is based on the phenomena of the diffraction of radia tion by materials. In the first ten to twenty years after Laue's discovery, a very complete theory was developed for the diffraction of x-rays and, later, of electrons. This theory led to equations by means of which it was possible to compute the intensity pattern for a given structure. The theory of structure analysis came to mean that of the diffraction of radiation. In 1935, Patterson pointed out a way leading to the solution of the inverse problem: the finding of the structure from a given intensity distribution pattern. At first the conservatism of researchers, and then the war, hampered the de velopment and broad application of the ideas set forth in this work. It was only during the last ten years that all the rich possibilities of the Patterson method - the method of the analysis of the convolution of the electron density - were brought to light and applied in practice.