Chapter 2: Diffraction
Homework 4¶
Analyzing Ring Diffraction Pattern
part of
MSE672: Introduction to Transmission Electron Microscopy
by Gerd Duscher, Spring 2026
Microscopy Facilities
Institute of Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Materials Science & Engineering
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Background and methods to analysis and quantification of data acquired with transmission electron microscopes.
Overview¶
This homework follows the notebook: Analyzing Ring Diffraction Pattern
import sys
from pkg_resources import get_distribution, DistributionNotFound
def test_package(package_name):
"""Test if package exists and returns version or -1"""
try:
version = get_distribution(package_name).version
except (DistributionNotFound, ImportError) as err:
version = '-1'
return version
if test_package('pyTEMlib') < '0.2025.1.0':
print('installing pyTEMlib')
!{sys.executable} -m pip install --upgrade pyTEMlib
print('done')Load the plotting and figure packages¶
Import the python packages that we will use:
Beside the basic numerical (numpy) and plotting (pylab of matplotlib) libraries,
three dimensional plotting and some libraries from the book
kinematic scattering library.
%matplotlib widget
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib
import numpy as np
# additional package
import itertools
import scipy.constants as const
import os
import sys
import skimage # for polar coordinates of diffraction pattern
import scipy
if 'google.colab' in sys.modules:
from google.colab import output
output.enable_custom_widget_manager()
from google.colab import drive
# Import libraries from the book
import pyTEMlib
# it is a good idea to show the version numbers at this point for archiving reasons.
__notebook_version__ = '2026.02.12'
print('pyTEM version: ', pyTEMlib.__version__)
print('notebook version: ', __notebook_version__)pyTEM version: 0.2026.1.3
notebook version: 2026.02.12
Load Ring-Diffraction Pattern¶
First we select the diffraction pattern¶
In the second lab we used a sample of polycrystalline Aluminium.
If you run this notebook on your own computer you should download your images from the google drive for 2026 Lab Data, if you run it on google colab you can go to the drive directory in the dialog below.
You must log into Google with your UTK account to be able to read these data.
Go to the folder of your data in the folders of week of 2026_02_10 and select one
if 'google.colab' in sys.modules:
drive.mount("/content/drive")
fileWidget = pyTEMlib.file_tools.FileWidget(sum_frames=True)diff_pattern = fileWidget.selected_dataset
print(f"alpha tilt {np.degrees(diff_pattern.metadata['experiment']['stage']['tilt']['alpha']):.2f}°")
print(f"beta tilt {np.degrees(diff_pattern.metadata['experiment']['stage']['tilt']['beta']):.2f}°")
view = np.log2(1+np.abs(diff_pattern)).plot()
diff_patternalpha tilt 1.44°
beta tilt 0.11°
diff_pattern.view_metadata()
print( f"length of incident wavevector {1/pyTEMlib.utilities.get_wavelength(200000, unit='A'):.1f} 1/A")experiment :
detector : BM-Ceta
acceleration_voltage : 200000.0
microscope : Titan
start_date_time : 1770847438
collection_angle : -1.0
convergence_angle : 0.0
probe_mode : parallel
stage :
holder :
position :
x : -4.276279499999999e-05
y : 0.000191415396
z : -0.00013472703
tilt :
alpha : 0.02511349699999993
beta : 0.001957648666575551
instrument : Spectra4018
current : 1.4365902934944899e-11
pixel_time : 0.0
exposure_time : 0.7967154999999999
sample : Al polycrystal
sample_id : Al polycrystal
collection_angle_end : -1.0
filename : C:\Users\gduscher\Downloads\0043 - Micro Camera Diffraction.emd
length of incident wavevector 39.9 1/A
print(f'Camera length: {float(diff_pattern.original_metadata['Optics']['CameraLength'])*1000:.2f} mm')
print(f'Pixel size: {diff_pattern.u.slope:.4f} 1/nm')Camera length: 286.00 mm
Pixel size: 0.0249 1/nm
Finding the center¶
Select the center yourself¶
Select the center of the screen with the ellipse selection tool
Note: we use the logarithm to plot the diffraction pattern (look for : “np.log” in the code cell below, the number that follows is the gamma value, change it)
## Access the data of the loaded image
#diff_pattern = np.array(main_dataset.sum(axis=0))
diff_pattern = diff_pattern-diff_pattern.min()
radius = int( diff_pattern.shape[1]/6)
center = np.array([diff_pattern.shape[0]/2, diff_pattern.shape[1]/2])
center= np.unravel_index(np.argmax(np.array(diff_pattern), axis=None), diff_pattern.shape)
plt.figure(figsize=(8, 6))
plt.imshow(np.log(3.+diff_pattern).T, origin = 'upper')
current_axis = plt.gca()
selector = matplotlib.widgets.EllipseSelector(current_axis,
None,
interactive=True ,
minspanx=5, minspany=5,
spancoords='pixels') # gca get current axis (plot)
center = np.array(center)
selector.extents = (center[0]-radius-3,center[0]+radius-3,center[1]-radius-3,center[1]+radius-3)
plt.show()diff_pattern.shape[0]/2, center, np.array(selector.extents)+radiusGet center coordinates from selection
xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax = selector.extents
x_center, y_center = selector.center
x_shift = x_center - diff_pattern.shape[0]/2
y_shift = y_center - diff_pattern.shape[1]/2
print(f'radius = {(xmax-xmin)/2:.0f} pixels')
center = (x_center, y_center )
print(f'new center = {center} [pixels]')
out_tags ={}
out_tags['center'] = centerPloting Diffraction Pattern in Polar Coordinates¶
Now we transform¶
If the center is correct a ring in carthesian coordinates is a line in polar coordinates
A simple sum over all angles gives us then the diffraction profile (intensity profile of diffraction pattern)
center = (x_center, y_center)
scale = diff_pattern.u.slope
polar_projection = skimage.transform.warp_polar(diff_pattern, center=center).T
polar_projection[polar_projection<0.] =0.
polar_projection += 1e-12
log_polar =np.log2(polar_projection)
log_polar -= log_polar.min()
profile = polar_projection.sum(axis=1)*100
plt.figure()
im = plt.imshow(np.log(1+polar_projection),extent=(0,360,polar_projection.shape[0]*scale,scale),cmap="gray")
plt.colorbar(im)
ax = plt.gca()
ax.set_aspect("auto");
plt.xlabel('angle [degree]');
plt.ylabel('distance [1/nm]')
plt.plot(profile/profile.max()*8000,np.linspace(1,len(profile),len(profile))*scale,c='r');
plt.xlim(0,360)In the image above check:
Are the lines straight?
Determine Bragg Peak¶
Peak finding is actually not as simple as it looks
# --- Input ------
sensitivity = 1.0
# ----------------
# find_Bragg peaks in profile
peaks, g= scipy.signal.find_peaks(np.log(1+profile),rel_height=sensitivity, width=7) # np.std(second_deriv)*9)
print('Peaks are at pixels:')
print(peaks)
out_tags['ring_radii_px'] = peaks
plt.figure()
plt.imshow(np.log2(1.+polar_projection),extent=(0,360,polar_projection.shape[0]*scale,scale),cmap='gray', vmin=np.max(np.log2(1+diff_pattern))*0.5)
ax = plt.gca()
ax.set_aspect("auto");
plt.xlabel('angle [degree]');
plt.ylabel('distance [1/nm]')
plt.plot(profile/profile.max()*5000,np.linspace(1,len(profile),len(profile))*scale,c='r');
plt.xlim(0,360)
for i in peaks:
if i*scale > 3.5:
plt.plot((0,360),(i*scale,i*scale), linestyle='--', c = 'steelblue')Calculate Ring Pattern¶
Note that you will need to change the material
see Structure Factors notebook for details.
# -------Input -----
material = 'aluminium'
# -------------------
# Initialize the dictionary with all the input# Initialize the dictionary with all the input
atoms = pyTEMlib.crystal_tools.structure_by_name(material)
diff_pattern.structures['Structure_000'] = atoms
#Reciprocal Lattice
# We use the linear algebra package of numpy to invert the unit_cell \"matrix\"
reciprocal_unit_cell = atoms.cell.reciprocal() # transposed of inverted unit_cell
#INPUT
hkl_max = 7# maximum allowed Miller index
acceleration_voltage = 200.0 *1000.0 #V
wave_length = pyTEMlib.utilities.get_wavelength(acceleration_voltage, unit='A')
h = np.linspace(-hkl_max,hkl_max,2*hkl_max+1) # all to be evaluated single Miller Index
hkl = np.array(list(itertools.product(h,h,h) )) # all to be evaluated Miller indices
g_hkl = np.dot(hkl,reciprocal_unit_cell)
# Calculate Structure Factors
structure_factors = []
base = atoms.positions # in Carthesian coordinates
for j in range(len(g_hkl)):
F = 0
for b in range(len(base)):
# Atomic form factor for element and momentum change (g vector)
f = pyTEMlib.diffraction_tools.get_form_factor(atoms[b].symbol,np.linalg.norm(g_hkl[j]))
F += f * np.exp(-2*np.pi*1j*(g_hkl[j]*base[b]).sum())
structure_factors.append(F)
F = structure_factors = np.squeeze(np.array(structure_factors))
# Allowed reflections have a non zero structure factor F (with a bit of numerical error)
allowed = np.absolute(structure_factors) > 0.001
distances = np.linalg.norm(g_hkl, axis = 1)
print(f' Of the evaluated {hkl.shape[0]} Miller indices {allowed.sum()} are allowed. ')
# We select now all the
zero = distances == 0.
allowed = np.logical_and(allowed,np.logical_not(zero))
F = F[allowed]
g_hkl = g_hkl[allowed]
hkl = hkl[allowed]
distances = distances[allowed]
sorted_allowed = np.argsort(distances)
distances = distances[sorted_allowed]
hkl = hkl[sorted_allowed]
F = F[sorted_allowed]
# How many have unique distances and what is their muliplicity
unique, indices = np.unique(distances, return_index=True)
print(f' Of the {allowed.sum()} allowed Bragg reflections there are {len(unique)} families of reflections.')
intensity = np.absolute(F[indices]**2*(np.roll(indices,-1)-indices))
print('\n index \t hkl \t 1/d [1/Ang] d [pm] F multip. intensity' )
family = []
reflection = 0
out_tags['reflections'] = {}
multiplicitity = (np.roll(indices,-1)-indices)
intensity = np.absolute(F[indices]**2*multiplicitity)
print(f"\n index \t {'hkl'.ljust(12)}\t 1/d [1/Ang] d [pm] \t F \t multip. intensity")
family = []
index = 0
for j in range(0, len(unique)-2):
i = indices[j]
i2 = indices[j+1]
family.append(hkl[i+np.argmax(hkl[i:i2].sum(axis=1))])
print(f'{i:3g}\t {str(family[j]).ljust(13)} \t {distances[i]:.4f} \t {1/distances[i]*100:.0f} \t {np.absolute(F[i]):.2f}',
f'\t {indices[j+1]-indices[j]:3g} \t {intensity[j]:.2f}')
out_tags['reflections'][str(reflection)] = {'index': index,
'recip_distances': distances[i],
'structure_factor': np.absolute(F[i]),
'multiplicity': indices[j+1]-indices[j],
'intensity': intensity[j]}
reflection +=1
index+=1
diff_pattern.metadata['SAED'] = out_tags---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NameError Traceback (most recent call last)
Cell In[1], line 7
4 verbose = True
5 # --------------------------------------------
----> 7 atoms = pyTEMlib.crystal_tools.structure_by_name(structure)
8 main_dataset.structures['Structure_000'] = atoms
9 main_dataset.metadata['experiment']['hkl_max'] = hkl_max
NameError: name 'pyTEMlib' is not definedComparison¶
Comparison between experimental profile and kinematic theory
The grain size will have an influence on the width of the diffraction rings"
# -------Input of grain size ----
first_peak_pixel = 100
first_peak_reciprocal_distance = 0.5
pixel_size = first_peak_reciprocal_distance/first_peak_pixel
resolution = 0 # 1/nm
thickness = 100 # Ang
# -------------------------------
print(f'Pixel size is {pixel_size:.5f} 1/Ang')
print(f'Indicated pixel size is {diff_pattern.u.slope/10:.5f} 1/Ang')
width = (1/thickness + resolution) / scale
# scale = ft.get_slope(main_dataset.dim_0.values) *1.085*1.0/10
scale = pixel_size
intensity2 = intensity/intensity.max()*10
gauss = scipy.signal.windows.gaussian(len(profile), std=width)
simulated_profile = np.zeros(len(profile))
rec_dist = np.linspace(1,len(profile),len(profile))*pixel_size
plt.figure()
plt.plot(rec_dist,profile/profile.max()*150, color='blue', label='experiment');
for j in range(len(unique)-1):
if unique[j] < len(profile)*scale and j <20:
# plot lines
plt.plot([unique[j],unique[j]], [0, intensity2[j]],c='r')
# plot indices
index = '{'+f'{family[j][0]:.0f} {family[j][1]:.0f} {family[j][2]:.0f}'+'}' # pretty index string
plt.text(unique[j],-3, index, horizontalalignment='center',
verticalalignment='top', rotation = 'vertical', fontsize=8, color = 'red')
# place Gaussian with appropriate width in profile
g = np.roll(gauss,int(-len(profile)/2+unique[j]/scale))* intensity2[j]*10#rec_dist**2*10
simulated_profile = simulated_profile + g
plt.plot(np.linspace(1,len(profile),len(profile))*scale,simulated_profile/50, label='simulated');
plt.xlabel('angle (1/$\AA$)')
plt.legend()
plt.ylim(-.5,10)
Publication Quality Output¶
Now we have all the ingredients to make a publication quality plot of the data.
plot_profile = profile.copy()
plot_profile[:first_peak_pixel-20] = 0
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(9, 6))
extent= np.array([-center[0], diff_pattern.shape[0]-center[0],-diff_pattern.shape[1]+center[1], center[1]])*scale
plt.imshow(np.log(3.+diff_pattern).T,cmap='gray', extent=(extent*1.0)) #, vmin=np.max(np.log2(1+diff_pattern))*0.5)
plt.xlabel(r'reciprocal distance [nm$^{-1}$]')
ax = fig.gca()
#ax.add_artist(circle1);
plt.plot(np.linspace(1,len(profile),len(profile))*scale,plot_profile/plot_profile.max(), color='y');
plt.plot((0,len(profile)*scale),(0,0),c='r')
for j in range(len(unique)-1):
i = indices[j]
if distances[i] < len(profile)*scale:
plt.plot([distances[i],distances[i]], [0, intensity2[j]/20],c='r')
arc = matplotlib.patches.Arc((0,0), distances[i]*2, distances[i]*2, angle=90.0, theta1=0.0, theta2=270.0, color='r', fill= False, alpha = 0.5)#, **kwargs)
ax.add_artist(arc);
plt.scatter(0,0);
for i in range(6):
index = '{'+f'{family[i][0]:.0f} {family[i][1]:.0f} {family[i][2]:.0f}'+'}' # pretty index string
plt.text(unique[i],-0.05, index, horizontalalignment='center',
verticalalignment='top', rotation = 'vertical', fontsize=8, color = 'white')
plt.xlim(diff_pattern.u[0]/10, diff_pattern.u[-1]/10)Homework¶
Determine the pixel_size and for indicated camera length!
Submit one notebook with your indexed diffraction pattern
How close is your scale to the original one? What is the accuracy of your scale?