RAPID, an ImageJ macro for indexing electron diffraction zone axis spot patterns of cubic materials

RAPID, an ImageJ macro for indexing electron diffraction zone axis spot patterns of cubic materials

About: RAPID (RAtio method Pattern InDexing) is an ImageJ macro script developed for the quick determination of sample orientation and indexing of calibrated and uncalibrated zone axis aligned electron diffraction patterns from materials with a cubic crystal structure. In addition to conventional SAED patterns, the program is also capable of handling zone axis TEM Kikuchi patterns and FFTs derived from HR(S)TEM images. The software enables users to rapidly determine whether materials are cubic, pseudo-cubic, or non-cubic, and to distinguish between P, I, F and diamond lattice types. It can also provide lattice parameters for material verification and aid in determining the camera constant of the instrument, thus making the program a convenient tool for on-site crystallographic analysis in the TEM laboratory. 

Current version: 2.0 (2025-09-26)

Changes:  This version of RAPID is fully compatible wth the program RAPIDviewer (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18340198) for visualisation of the indexing results. Moreover, this release comes with a test pattern and results for bcc iron with DO3 precipitates for testing the program.

References: 

T. E. Weirich. A simple protocol for determining the zone axis direction from selected-area electron diffraction spot patterns of cubic materials, 
J. Appl. Cryst. (2024),  57, 1263 – 1269.  DOI: 10.1107/S1600576724004333

IF YOU FIND THE SCRIPT USEFUL FOR YOUR WORK AND IT HAS HELPED YOU, THE PROGRAMMER WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD KINDLY CONSIDER REFERENCING THE BELOW ARTICLE IN YOUR PUBLICATIONS:

T. E. Weirich. RAPID, an ImageJ macro for indexing electron diffraction zone axis spot patterns of cubic materials, J. Appl. Cryst. (2024), 58, 2017 – 2029.  DOI: 10.1107/S1600576724010215

T. E. Weirich.  RAPID, an ImageJ macro for indexing electron diffraction zone axis spot patterns of cubic materials (2024, v1.2). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13922110

Acknowlegement: The development of the program has been carried out within Collaborative Research Centre Transregio 188: Damage Controlled Forming Processes (DFG - German Research Foundation, Project-ID 278868966).

Contact & Support: Thomas E. Weirich (weirich@gfe.rwth-aachen.de)