A Dimensionally Consistent Size-Strain Plot Method for Crystallite Size and Microstrain Estimation

TL;DR

This paper identifies a critical dimensional inconsistency in the widely used Size Strain Plot method for analyzing X-ray diffraction data and proposes a corrected, physically consistent formulation to improve microstructural analysis accuracy.

Contribution

It uncovers a longstanding dimensional inconsistency in the SSP method and introduces a corrected formulation that enhances its physical validity and reliability.

Findings

The common SSP equation is dimensionally inconsistent.

The corrected formulation restores physical meaning to the SSP method.

The revised approach improves the accuracy of microstructural estimations.

Abstract

X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak broadening analysis remains a cornerstone for quantifying crystallite size and lattice microstrain in materials. Among various approaches, the Size Strain Plot (SSP) method is widely employed for its conceptual simplicity and ease of use. However, this study reveals that the equation most commonly applied in SSP analysis is dimensionally inconsistent, a critical flaw that has gone largely unnoticed and replicated across decades of materials research. This pervasive error raises concerns about the validity of a significant body of published microstructural data. By tracing the historical origin of the misformulated equation, we demonstrate how a seemingly minor oversight evolved into a widely accepted standard practice within the field. We then present a dimensionally consistent formulation that restores physical meaning and analytical reliability to the SSP method. The corrected framework re-establishes the SSP approach as a robust and physically valid tool for XRD-based microstructural characterization. \en