X-ray line broadening due to an inhomogeneous dislocation distribution

A general theory of x-ray line broadening caused by dislocations is presented. It is shown that the leading terms determining the shape of the broadened line profile are independent of the actual dislocation distribution. The intensity distribution can be characterized by average parameters of the dislocation configuration, like the dislocation density, and its fluctuation. For the determination of these parameters a generalized form of Wilson's variance method is proposed.