X-ray topography provides a non-destructive method of mapping point-by
-point variations in orientation and reflecting power within crystals.
The discovery, made by several workers independently, that in nearly
perfect crystals it was possible to detect individual dislocations by
X-ray diffraction contrast started an epoch of rapid exploitation of X
-ray topography as a new, general method for assessing crystal perfect
ion. Another discovery, that of X-ray Pendellosung, led to important t
heoretical developments in X-ray diffraction theory and to a new and p
recise method for measuring structure factors on an absolute scale. Ot
her highlights picked out for mention are studies of Frank-Read disloc
ation sources, the discovery of long dislocation helices and lines of
coaxial dislocation loops in aluminium, of internal magnetic domain st
ructures in Fe-3 wt.% Si, and of stacking faults in silicon and natura
l diamonds.