X-RAY-DIFFRACTION TEXTURE ANALYSIS WITH A POSITION-SENSITIVE DETECTOR

The detailed knowledge of a preferred crystallite orientation in polycrystalline materials is of fundamental interest in materials science. Knowing the texture of a material, the anisotropy of its physical properties can be determined or influenced. Texture studies are usually carried out by X-ray polycrystal diffraction providing raw pole figures and being followed by the calculation of the orientation distribution function. The usage of a position sensitive detector PSD for diffraction measurements enables a simultaneous ''seeing'' of some part of the spectrum and, at the same time, a discrete data assignment in the multichannel analyser. PSD-based texture measurements are thus especially suitable for materials having complex, line-rich diffraction spectra with peak overlap. Peak separation and profile fitting has then to be performed leading to integrated intesities as pole figure values. Examples of texture measurements in metallic and non-metallic materials with the PSD/MCA technique and on-line profile analysis in the back-reflection mode are reported. Essential advantages as well as limitations of the PSD measuring method as compared to the conventional one are highlighted.