Texture Lab (GO TO TEXTURE LAB)

The Department of Earth and Planetary Science at UC Berkeley, in collaboration with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, maintains a laboratory dedicated to the study of preferred orientation (texture) and anisotropy of polycrystalline materials. Various aspects are measurements, data analysis and interpretation. Applications include rocks, metals, polycrystalline films, ceramics, superconductors, biological specimens (bones, shells). The facilites are available to outside users as demand permits. A nominal fee is charged to offset maintenance costs. Software of x-ray pole figure analysis and ODF calculation (BEARTEX) is available and in the future software for neutron diffraction Rietveld analysis (RITA) and individual orientation measurements by EBSP (SEMTEX) will be introduced.

Extensive use of the microprobe and SEM facilities within the department is made by researchers such as Alvarez, Brimhall, Carmichael, Jeanloz, Jones, and Wenk, encompassing such diverse areas as igneous petrology, ore geology, surficial weathering, crystallography, mineralogy, geophysics and regional geology. Significant use by other university departments include the departments of Chemistry (electronic, semi-conductor and super conducting materials), Material Sciences and Mineral Engineering (ceramic metal interfaces, electronic and super conducting materials, sulfide semi-conductors), Soil Sciences (clay mineralogy, volcanic ash deposits), Civil Engineering (cement and rebar corrosion and mineralogy studies), and Mechanical Engineering (high strength/ wear resistant alloys and coatings). In addition frequent use of the facilities are made by the Berkeley Geochronology Center staff for investigation of both geological and anthropological studies.

The XRF laboratory is also a widely used facility both within and outside the department for destructive and non-destructive chemical analysis of whole rock powders, flux disolutions and artifacts. Frequent users include the igneous and experimental petrology group, ore geology and the Department of Anthropology.