Laue condition

The Laue condition describes the specific angles at which X-rays are diffracted by a crystal's atomic planes. When X-rays hit a crystal, they scatter off the atoms; constructive interference occurs only when the path difference between scattered rays matches certain criteria related to the crystal's internal structure. Essentially, it states that diffraction peaks happen when the difference in the wave's phase after scattering corresponds to a multiple of the wavelength, satisfying a mathematical condition involving the crystal’s reciprocal lattice vectors. This allows scientists to determine crystal structures by analyzing the angles and intensities of the diffracted X-rays.