The P-O bond lengths in vitreous probed by neutron diffraction with high real-space resolution

Neutron diffraction has been used to determine the two P-O bond lengths which occur in the threefold-linked tetrahedral structural units of vitreous . The large maximum momentum transfer which is available on the LAD instrument at the ISIS spallation neutron source gives high real-space resolution which enables a clear separation to be made between P-O bond lengths involving terminal oxygens and those involving bridging oxygens . The two P-O distances in vitreous were found to have narrower distributions than have previously been observed, using the same experimental conditions, for any other modified phosphate glass.