Diffraction lines are broadened for two reasons: instrumental configuration and physical origins. The latter yields information on
materials microstructure. The complete process of line-broadening
analysis is discussed, beginning with experimental procedure s and
a correction for instrumental broadening. In the analysis of the
physically broadened line profile, the main emphasis is given to the
widely used methods of separation of size and strain broadening:
the Warren-Averbach approximation and integral-breadth methods.
The integral-breadth methods are collated and their reliability
discussed. Close attention is given to an assumed Vcigt-function
profile shape for both size-broadened and strain-broadened profiles
because it is shown that a Voigt function fits satisfactorily the
physically broadened line profiles of W and MgO obtained by the
Stokes-deconvolution method. The subsequent analyses of broadening are performed by using the Warren-Averbach and »double- Voigt« approaches and results are compared
