Determination and interpretation of preferred orientation with texture goniometry: An application of indicators to maximum entropy pole- to orientation-density inversion

The probability density function of orientations of crystals generally cannot be measured directly without destruction of the specimen. Therefore it is usual practice to sample pole density functions of several crystal forms in diffraction experiments with a texture goniometer. Determining a reasonable orientation density function from experimental pole density functions is then the crucial prerequisite of quantitative texture analysis. This mathematical problem may be addressed as a tomographic inversion problem specified by the crystal and statistical specimen symmetries and the properties of the diffraction experiment. Its solution with maximum entropy preferred orientation portion and maximum uniform portion is proposed because it yields the most conservative orientation density function with systematically reduced correlation effects, thus avoiding artificial texture ghost≓ components caused by the specific properties of the diffraction experiment.