Genetic algorithms in crystallographic texture analysis

The method of genetic algorithms (GA) is a modern computer technique based on some ideas taken from biological evolution theory. GA is especially usef ul for a study of problems being not completely determined. They are, e.g., problems having a few but not very different solutions or problems without a strict (exact) solution. In the last situation the GA application can be very useful if it is enough to find a good solution but not necessarily th e best one. In GA approach it is not necessary to know a priori a general s cheme of problem solution; however, it is important to have a procedure est imating the quality of a solution. This procedure is necessary to eliminate some solutions and to accept other ones. In last years the GA method was a pplied with success in different areas of science, e.g., in: sociology, con struction engineering, artificial intelligence and many others. The present work reports the first result (ta, the authors' knowledge) of G A application in crystallographic texture analysis: the orientation distrib ution function (ODF) is calculated from a set of pole figures (PFs); conseq uently, the GA method may be considered as an alternative method of texture analysis. It is possible, however, to apply GA to other practical problems in the field of crystallographic textures. One of such problems may be fin ding of the best texture giving required material properties. This may be, e.g., the research of a texture which optimises material properties for a g iven application (e.g., drawability, electric or magnetic properties).