High resolution strain measurements in highly disordered materials

Abstract

The ability to measure small deformations or strains is useful for understanding many aspects of materials. Here, an alternate analysis of speckle x-ray diffraction peaks is presented in which the systematic shifts of the speckles are analyzed allowing for strain (or flow) patterns to be inferred. This speckle tracking technique measures strain patterns with an accuracy similar to x-ray single crystal measurements but in amorphous or highly disordered materials.