New way to distinguish chirality by X-ray diffraction

X-ray Bragg diffraction can determine crystal structures. So far, however, distinguishing between right- and left-handed crystals has not been done by ordinary X-ray diffraction. Japanese scientists led by Professor S. Shin (RIKEN & The University of Tokyo) recently succeeded in revealing the chirality of crystals by measuring Bragg diffraction near the absorption edge, using circular polarization of synchrotron X-rays at the SPring-8. Reflections only allowed at resonant conditions have been well interpreted for the α-quartz case. For more information, see the paper, "Right Handed or Left Handed? Forbidden X-Ray Diffraction Reveals Chirality", Y. Tanaka et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 100, 145502 (2008).