Coherent x-ray scattering by phonons: Determination of phonon eigenvectors

Interference effects have been observed when coherently coupled x-ray beams are inelastically scattered by phonons in a crystal. The coherently coupled beams are prepared by using dynamical diffraction methods. This principle was applied to determine the phases of the phonon eigenvectors in silicon by an analysis of the intensity of the inelastically scattered x rays.