Vicran Zharvan, Nurul Fachrunnisa, Eko Hadi Sujiono
Crystallography is a core topic in undergraduate solid-state and materials physics, yet students often find it conceptually difficult due to its abstract, mathematical, and geometric nature. This paper presents a teaching-oriented approach that integrates Rietica software as a learning tool to support students’ engagement with fundamental crystallography concepts, including Bragg’s law, Miller indices, and basic powder diffraction analysis. The instructional framework was implemented in a fifth-semester undergraduate physics course through a four-session project-based module involving 20 students. Students analyzed real x-ray diffraction data for NdFeO3, starting with phase identification using Match! and then performing Rietveld refinement in Rietica. The student-generated outputs, including lattice parameters, multi-phase identification, and refinement quality indicators such as goodness of fit, were used as the basis for classroom discussion and reflection. This work does not constitute a formal educational experiment; rather, it focuses on the design of learning activities and qualitative pedagogical insights derived from authentic student outputs. The proposed approach is intended to bridge theoretical concepts and practical data interpretation, and suggests a potentially transferable instructional model for introducing crystallography at the undergraduate level. © 2026 European Physical Society. All rights, including for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies, are reserved. This article is available under the terms of the https://publishingsupport.iopscience.iop.org/iop-standard/v1.
Department of Physics, Universitas Negeri, Makassar, 90224, Indonesia; Department of English Education, Universitas Muslim, Maros, 90511, Indonesia
