(1. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China) (2. Electron Microscopy Center, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China) (3. International Joint Laboratory for Light Alloys (MOE), Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China)
The three-dimensional (3D) characterization of dislocations is the basis for full understanding the characteristics and behaviors of dislocations. In this article, the 3D dislocation characterization techniques based on the synchrotron radiation X-ray, the focused ion beam-electron channeling contrast imaging system and the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are reviewed, with the emphases on the TEM-based methods such as atomic resolution, stereo pair and tilt-series reconstruction of dislocations. The spatial resolution, capability of quantification and coupling of parameters in all these methods are compared and discussed. A novel TEM-based tomographic crystallography method which can simultaneously, quantitatively and precisely characterize the geometric and crystallographic parameters of 3D dislocation structures is also introduced. Further, the technical trends and characteristics of the 3D dislocation characterization techniques in the future are foreseen and summarized.