Bridging grain mapping and dark field X-ray microscopy for multiscale diffraction imaging
4 affiliations
- 1European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS40220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
- 2Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Fysikvej, 2800 Kgs Lyngby Denmark
- 3Univ Lyon,CNRS, INSA Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, MATEIS, UMR5510 69621 Villeurbanne France
- 4Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, 2800 Kgs Denmark
Abstract
Resolving how defects emerge and interact within the hierarchical structure of polycrystalline materials remains a core challenge in materials science. Grain-mapping methods such as three-dimensional X-ray diffraction (3DXRD) and diffraction contrast tomography (DCT) provide essential mesoscale context but lack the resolution to image lattice defects. Conversely, high-resolution methods like Dark Field X-ray Microscopy (DFXM) capture lattice distortions but not the surrounding microstructure. Here, we introduce a transferable framework that unifies these complementary approaches into a single, non-destructive workflow. Enabled by open-source software, the method translates grain orientation and position data into precise goniometer settings for DFXM imaging without dismounting or reorienting the sample. Applied to an iron polycrystal containing ≈ 1100 grains, DFXM motor positions were calculated for all grains within seconds, enabling on-the-fly targeting of specific grains. This allows reproducible zooming from the millimetre-scale aggregate to individual dislocations. We resolve three-dimensional misorientation fields across grain boundaries with 36 nm pixel size, directly capturing grain–grain interactions within their microstructural context. Finally, we show transferability from LabDCT to synchrotron and XFEL platforms, enabling new ways of studying defect interactions across scales.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-65453-0.
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BibTeX
@article{shukla2026bridging,
title = {{Bridging grain mapping and dark field X-ray microscopy for multiscale diffraction imaging}},
author = {A. Shukla and C. Yildirim and J. A. D. Ball and C. Detlefs and A. A. W. Cretton and M. Sarkis and M. La Bella and W. Ludwig and Y. Zhang and N. A. Henningsson},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-65453-0},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-65453-0},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Bridging grain mapping and dark field X-ray microscopy for multiscale diffraction imaging
AU - A. Shukla
AU - C. Yildirim
AU - J. A. D. Ball
AU - C. Detlefs
AU - A. A. W. Cretton
AU - M. Sarkis
AU - M. La Bella
AU - W. Ludwig
AU - Y. Zhang
AU - N. A. Henningsson
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/06
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-65453-0
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-65453-0
AB - Resolving how defects emerge and interact within the hierarchical structure of polycrystalline materials remains a core challenge in materials science. Grain-mapping methods such as three-dimensional X-ray diffraction (3DXRD) and diffraction contrast tomography (DCT) provide essential mesoscale context but lack the resolution to image lattice defects. Conversely, high-resolution methods like Dark Field X-ray Microscopy (DFXM) capture lattice distortions but not the surrounding microstructure. Here, we introduce a transferable framework that unifies these complementary approaches into a single, non-destructive workflow. Enabled by open-source software, the method translates grain orientation and position data into precise goniometer settings for DFXM imaging without dismounting or reorienting the sample. Applied to an iron polycrystal containing ≈ 1100 grains, DFXM motor positions were calculated for all grains within seconds, enabling on-the-fly targeting of specific grains. This allows reproducible zooming from the millimetre-scale aggregate to individual dislocations. We resolve three-dimensional misorientation fields across grain boundaries with 36 nm pixel size, directly capturing grain–grain interactions within their microstructural context. Finally, we show transferability from LabDCT to synchrotron and XFEL platforms, enabling new ways of studying defect interactions across scales. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-65453-0.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -