High-resolution X-ray diffraction from microstructures

Abstract

Novel high-resolution X-ray diffractometers have been used to investigate a variety of microstructures such as twins, tweed, and domain boundaries in ferroelastic materials. It is shown that copious information can be extracted using our experimental methods. The instruments are equipped with 1D and 2D detectors, where the distance to the sample can be varied to enhance the intrinsic resolution. Both the specimen and the detectors possess several degrees of freedom which include sample tilts and rotations as well as translations. In our contribution we introduce briefly the experimental and theoretical methods connected with this special equipment and describe its application to the characterization of a wide variety of specimens such as single crystals, ceramic materials and thin films.

Key Words:

• X-ray diffraction
• twins
• microstructure
• tweed
• domains