X-Ray Diffraction Study of Fine Gold Particles Prepared by Gas Evaporation Technique. I. General Feature

Fine gold particles prepared by gas evaporation technique were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction method. Several anomalies which acre similar to those found in the cold worked metal fillings were found in the Debye-Scherrer pattern. Obvious differences in lattice parameter and the thermal expansion coefficient were not detected between the fine gold particles with the mean size of 100 A and bulk crystal. The mean square atomic displacement estimated from the Debye-Waller factor, however, shows sometimes values twice as large as that of the bulk crystal, depending on specimen preparation. It is shown that a considerable contribution from static lattice distortions is included in the mean square atomic displacement.