*Amorphous materials, such as glass and plastic, are typically disordered and lack a regular atomic structure. Crystals, on the other hand, are highly ordered and have a repeating atomic arrangement.*

Growing crystals from amorphous materials can be challenging, but it is essential for a variety of applications, including the production of semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

Now, researchers at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) have used X-rays to gain new insights into the crystallization process of amorphous materials. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, could lead to new methods for growing crystals more efficiently and effectively.

The researchers used CHESS's powerful X-ray beams to study the atomic structure of amorphous materials as they were heated. They found that the materials underwent a series of structural changes before finally crystallizing.

These changes included the formation of small, ordered clusters of atoms, which eventually grew into larger and more perfect crystals. The researchers were able to identify the specific conditions that were necessary for the amorphous materials to crystallize.

"Our findings provide a new understanding of the crystallization process of amorphous materials," said lead author Dr. Kaiyang Zeng. "This knowledge could be used to develop new methods for growing crystals more efficiently and effectively."

The researchers believe that their findings could have applications in a variety of fields, including materials science, chemistry, and pharmaceuticals.

"We are excited about the potential of our findings to impact the growth of crystals for a wide range of applications," said Dr. Zeng. "We hope that our work will lead to new ways to produce high-quality crystals for use in semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and other technologies."