X-ray diffraction method of mapping grain structures in a crystalline material sample, and an X-ray diffraction apparatus

An X-ray diffraction apparatus for mapping grain structures in a polycrystalline material sample, comprising

• an X-ray source for emitting a polychromatic X-ray beam in a divergent beam path,
• a staging device for positioning the sample in the beam path in a plurality of mutually different angular positions in relation to the X-ray source,
• an X-ray detector for detecting at least diffracted X-ray beams leaving the sample, which X-ray detector has at least a first position in which the detector is at a distance from the sample corresponding to in the range of 80-120% of the distance from the X-ray source to the sample, said detecting including detection of substantially line-shaped segments from beams diffracted from at least some of the grains, each line-shaped segment having a position and a length, wherein
• a diaphragm is located between the X-ray source and the sample in the beam path, which diaphragm allows a central portion of the divergent beam to illuminate the crystalline material sample and prevents beam portions outside the central portion from illuminating the detector, and
• a processing device for analysing values received from the X-ray detector and for utilizing at least the positions of the line-shaped segments in the determination of a three-dimensional model of the poly-crystalline material sample.

An X-ray diffraction apparatus for mapping grain structures in a crystalline material sample, comprising

• an X-ray source for emitting a polychromatic X-ray beam in a divergent beam path,
• a staging device for positioning the sample in the beam path in a plurality of mutually different angular positions in relation to the X-ray source,
• an X-ray detector for detecting at least diffracted X-ray beams leaving the sample, which X-ray detector has at least a first position in which the detector is at a distance from the sample corresponding to in the range of 80-120% of the distance from the X-ray source to the sample, wherein
• a diaphragm is located between the X-ray source and the sample in the beam path, which diaphragm allows a central portion of the divergent beam to illuminate the crystalline material sample and prevents beam portions outside the central portion from illuminating the detector, and
• a processing device for identifying at least a position and a length of individual line-shaped segments, and for pairing at least some of the line-shaped segments as originating from diffractions from the same grain.