New experimental methods developed by the authors for characterisation of the structure of single-crystal nickel-base superalloys are presented: X-ray diffraction at defined areas of the dendritic structure, none destructive SEM investigation of ’-morphology changes for different creep stresses and times with one specimen, and high resolution SEM investigations of dislocations in the ’-interfaces. Application of these techniques allowed to obtain new results, e.g. about the mosaicity of dendritic subgrains, distribution of the ’-misfit within a single dendrite and kinetics of rafting during creep in the superalloy CMSX-4 in wide temperature and stress ranges.