Spectroscopic investigation of Kα doublet splitting in iron via X-Ray diffraction

Abstract

This study investigates the characteristic X-ray spectra of iron using Bragg diffraction with a LiF crystal and a goniometer setup. The primary objective was to measure the wavelengths of K-series spectral lines, resolve fine structure in higher-order diffraction, and compare experimental results with theoretical values. Using a Cu X-ray tube and Geiger-Müller detector, spectra were recorded for both first- and second-order diffraction. In the first-order diffraction, clear Kα and Kβ peaks were observed at wavelengths of 194.7 pm and 176.6 pm, respectively. In the second-order diffraction, finer resolution enabled the separation of the Kα line into Kα₁ and Kα₂ components, with a measured splitting of 0.38 pm and an intensity ratio of 1.9, closely matching theoretical expectations. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of X-ray diffraction in analyzing atomic structure and validating quantum predictions. The experiment successfully addressed the research objective and highlighted the importance of high-resolution spectral measurements in identifying atomic energy transitions. Limitations include instrumental resolution and background noise, which may affect the precision of peak detection. Future work could focus on improving spectral resolution and extending the analysis to other elements or detector types.