This work introduces the first direct comparison of contrast arising from dislocations using dark-field X-ray microscopy (DFXM) and the established method of transmission electron microscopy. We propose a method to directly measure the Burgers vector of a dislocation on the basis of the symmetry with which DFXM scans across a rocking curve for a given diffraction peak.

This topical review discusses the recent progress in low-dose high-resolution imaging of metal–organic framework materials and gives a brief outlook on possible future directions.