LaueNN: neural-network-based hkl recognition of Laue spots and its application to polycrystalline materials

J Appl Crystallogr. 2022 Jun 15;55(Pt 4):737-750. doi: 10.1107/S1600576722004198. eCollection 2022 Aug 1.

Abstract

A feed-forward neural-network-based model is presented to index, in real time, the diffraction spots recorded during synchrotron X-ray Laue microdiffraction experiments. Data dimensionality reduction is applied to extract physical 1D features from the 2D X-ray diffraction Laue images, thereby making it possible to train a neural network on the fly for any crystal system. The capabilities of the LaueNN model are illustrated through three examples: a two-phase nano-structure, a textured high-symmetry specimen deformed in situ and a polycrystalline low-symmetry material. This work provides a novel way to efficiently index Laue spots in simple and complex recorded images in <1 s, thereby opening up avenues for the realization of real-time analysis of synchrotron Laue diffraction data.

Keywords: hkl recognition; neural networks; synchrotron X-ray Laue microdiffraction.

Grants and funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from a French–German project funded, respectively, by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche and DFG (HoTMiX project No. ANR-19-CE09-0035-01).