Fig. 1 Working principles of synchrotron radiation: a schematic illustration of the 3rd generation SR facility [42], b optics in a beamline [42], c typical X-ray microprobes with various specialized X-ray detectors [44]

Fig. 2 Microstructure evolution during solidification: a solidification microstructure evolution of Al-Bi alloy by 2D imaging [103], b time-resolved 3D morphology evolution of the metallic dendrites during solidification [104], c α-Al dendrite morphology in AlMg4.7Si8 during cooling [105]

Fig. 3 Evolution of 3D dendrites morphology during solidification. (a0?-? a4) Structure patterns of Mg alloy dendrite on the specialized crystallographic plane cross section: (a0) phase model and the observation cross section, (a1, a3) experimental results, (a2, a4) simulated results [109]. b 3D reconstructed dendrites extracted for Mg alloys [109]. c Dendritic evolution of α-Mg in Mg-Zn alloy [110]. d In situ monitoring of the effects of direct current on dendritic growth of Sn-Bi alloys during solidification [111]

Fig. 4 Growth and interaction of δ-phase plates during the solidification in Al-Si-Fe alloy. Each color corresponds to an individual δ-phase plate. Free growth of a two, b three, c four individual δ-phase plates, d growth of three δ-phase plates toward each other, e branched δ-phase plates, f deformation of δ-phase plates. Image reproduced with permission from Ref. [112]

Fig. 5 In situ applications of SR-CT: a evolution of crack front during fatigue cycle with microstructures of M1, M2, and M3, respectively [142], b 2D tomograms of a Ti-Al layered composite at strains of 10.0% and 20.0% [146], c crack morphology in the Ti-Al layered metal composite during the quasi in situ tensile test at strain of 0%, 5.0%, 10.0%, and 20.0% [146]

Fig. 6 Applications of SR-based Laue diffraction. a Component distribution of the deviatoric strain tensor in a grain with an increasing applied stress from 0 to 227 MPa [173]. b Mapping of vast microstructure information in a Ni-based superalloy [174]

Fig. 7 Microstructure induced by ultra-low strain in Ti-Al layered metal composite. a A schematic illustration of the DAXM [179]. b Initial microstructure of the Al layer (inverse pole figure of the normal direction) in the Ti-Al layered composites before tensile tests [180]. c Rotation angle mappings [180]. d Rotation axis mappings [180]. e Rodrigues vector mappings [180]

Fig. 8 Schematic illustration and applications of HEDM. a A schematic illustration of HEDM [197]. b Visual representation of the Ni microstructure measured by HEDM [201]. c Reconstruction results from HEDM (right) compared with destructive counterpart (left) [202]

Fig. 9 Applications of DCT. a Fatigue cracks evolution in polycrystalline [214]. b 3D renderings with various information of the as-sintered sample, showing cross section at mid-height (top) and full 3D renderings (bottom) [215]

Fig. 10 Schematic illustration and applications of HE-XRD. a Schematic illustration of HE-XRD [216]. b Shifting and broadening of diffraction peaks caused by plastic deformation [218]. The evolution of c lattice strain and d FWHM of Mg-Al-Ca alloy during deformation [218]. Debye-Scherrer rings of Al0.6CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy at the applied stress of e 0 MPa f 1131 MPa [219]

Fig. 11 Schematic illustration and applications of DFXM. a A schematic illustration of DFXM [224]. b 110 diffraction ring recorded by the area detector where each bright spot corresponds to a specific grain [224]. c Relative orientation, misorientation, and strain maps of Grain 1 selected from diffraction ring [224]. d 3D reconstruction from DFXM [225]

Fig. 12 Schematic illustration and applications of BCDI. a Schematic illustration of BCDI [228]. b Phase distribution in 3D in gold under a pressure of 1.7 GPa [228]. c 3D morphological evolution in a single grain of gold thin films during heating [230]