The mathematical framework of higher-dimensional crystallography intrinsica
lly assumes the ideally perfect crystal as the underlying basis for solving
, modelling and refining crystal structures with a quasiperiodic ordering s
cheme. Such an ideally perfect crystal will result in a Fourier spectrum wi
th sharp Bragg peaks and no diffuse scattering. However, most quasicrystall
ine materials do exhibit diffuse scattering phenomena, and therefore contai
n a certain amount of disorder. Only recently, single-crystals from the sys
tem Mg-Y-Zn emerged as possible candidates for ideally perfect crystals. We
employed X-ray diffraction techniques on a particular sample of Mg-Y-Zn. T
echniques, based on area detector systems, which are usually used to study
weak diffuse scattering phenomena, are employed. There is no indication of
disorder diffuse scattering which normally obscures the weak Bragg scatteri
ng. The experimental conditions are discussed under which a full data colle
ction may he performed with area detectors. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.
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