How did Linus Pauling use X-ray diffraction to study crystals?

Linus Pauling utilized X-ray diffraction as a fundamental experimental tool to determine the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms within various substances.1

His expertise in this field began during his doctoral studies at the California Institute of Technology, where he was instructed by Roscoe G. Dickinson on how to use X-rays to analyze crystal structures. Throughout his career, Pauling applied this technique to elucidate the structures of several important silicate and sulfide minerals.41

In the context of X-ray diffraction, the internal structure of a crystal is deduced by observing interference patterns created when X-rays reflect off the uniformly spaced atomic planes of the crystal. While this method was central to his work, Pauling also complemented his experimental findings with quantum mechanics to develop his theories on the nature of the chemical bond. Later in his career, his efforts to determine the structure of DNA were notably influenced by the quality of available X-ray photographic data.21