It was recalled that X-ray diffraction peak profile analysis had become a powerful tool for the characterisation of the microstructures of bulk or powdered materials. It was shown that the various features of diffraction peak profiles (broadening, asymmetrical peak shape, peak shift, anisotropic broadening) offered a range of microstructural parameters by modelling crystallite size and strain. The modelling of strain on the basis of dislocation observations was considered. One method involved evaluation by using the characteristic parameters of individual peak profiles (especially the full-width at half-maximum), integral breadths and Fourier coefficients. Another method involved a multiple whole-profile fitting procedure, using ab initio size and strain functions; as scaled by using the contrast factors of dislocations.

Dislocation Densities, Arrangements and Character from X-Ray Diffraction Experiments. T.Ungár: Materials Science and Engineering A, 2001, 309-310, 14-22