Registering pole figures using an X-ray single-crystal diffractometer equipped with an area detector

The orientation of crystals in a polycrystalline sample is adequately described using pole figures, displaying the three-dimensional distribution of specific crystallographic directions or poles. Registration of pole figures is necessary to characterize the preferred orientation of crystals and its influence on the anisotropy of properties in textured materials. It is also useful to understand the development of highly organized microstructures in polycrystalline materials. Pole figures can be registered efficiently using an area detector, available at most modern single-crystal diffractometers. This paper describes in detail the procedure of data collection and processing of pole figures using a single-crystal diffractometer equipped with an area detector. Specifically, a Bruker SMART APEX diffractometer was used, but this methodology can be readily adapted to other diffractometers.