The internal structure of planar dislocation boundaries is explored through
a coupling of experimental observations of extended geometrically necessar
y boundaries (GNBs) in deformed single crystals with a dislocation dynamics
simulation. The internal dislocation structure of a GNB is approached firs
t through standard diffraction contrast analyses to identify the boundary B
urgers vectors in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). This result i
s placed in the context of a large series of boundaries by the calculation
of boundary misorientation angle/axis pairs from Kikuchi pattern analysis i
n the TEM of orientations on either side of the boundaries. Of special inte
rest are the boundary misorientation axes which together with the boundary
normal, allow one to estimate the contribution of primary and secondary dis
locations to boundary rotations. Selected boundaries are constructed using
the experimental data, crystal plasticity analysis and Frank's formula. The
constructed boundaries are input into the dislocation dynamics code and al
lowed to equilibrate (relax). The internal stress field of the boundary is
determined. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.