The Continuum Spectrum Method for the calculation of the statistical distribution function of dislocation cell sizes

A new method named Continuum Spectrum Method has been developed to calculate the statistical distribution function of the dislocation cell sizes from X-ray diffraction broadened profile data. Based on this method, the statistical distribution function, and the maximum, minimum and mean sizes of dislocation cells can be calculated without any assumption regarding the form of the measured profiles. The principle and calculation procedure of the continuum spectrum method are introduced in this paper and a simulation example is given. The minimum, maximum and mean dislocation cell sizes are found to decrease with increasing width of the X-ray diffraction broadened profiles. The "hook" effect in the Warren-Averbach method can be avoided by the concept of the minimum dislocation cell size.