Study of micropores in single crystals by in-line phase contrast imaging with synchrotron radiation

Some single crystals that are of importance for engineering„ contain micropores of various shapes, including micropipes, empty cylinders whose section sizes vary from fractions of a micrometer to several micrometers. We describe the properties of such objects in a silicon carbide single crystal and a method of observing and exploring these objects, namely, in-line phase contrast imaging with synchrotron radiation. We also review the history of the development and current status of this method.