Observation of metallographic structure by means of pulsed neutron diffraction

In the past, neutron diffraction has been mainly recognized as a tool for measuring residual stress in metal structural parts. With the realization of the flight time method using pulsed neutrons and high-resolution experimental equipment, it has become possible to extract information on metallographic structure including texture, dislocation density, and phase transformation in addition to stress information. Furthermore, due to the realization of a high-output pulsed neutron source, these metallographic properties have become measurable in situ, which has enabled the elucidation of the deformation mechanism of metallic materials and the phenomena during the manufacturing process. (A.O.)