Nanoscale tomography

Abstract

Materials science is a three-dimensional science. Microstructures of bulk materials comprise, for example, anisotropic grains, precipitates, or intergranular phases, while fiber composites are the ultimate anisotropic three-dimensional material. Islands grown on surfaces, dendrites formed from liquids, crack distributions in deformation zones, and the full range of free-standing particles, fibers, and assemblies of these, illustrate further examples. Characterization techniques for materials science in general are, therefore, particularly beneficial if they are able to reveal the richness of microstructure in three dimensions rather than just providing projection views.