Improving the Quality of Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) Patterns From Nanoparticles

Published

January 1, 2002

Author(s)

John A. Small, J R. Michael, David S. Bright

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the relative contributions of automic number (Z) and density (p) to the degradation of the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) pattern quality for nanoparticles 2O₃ particles approximately 200 nm in diameter mounted on both thick- and thin-film C substrates. For the quantitative comparison we developed a 'quality' factor for EBSD patterns that is based on the ratio of two Hough transforms derived from a given EBSD pattern image. The calculated quality factor is directly proportional to the signal-to-noise ratio for the EBSD pattern. In addition to the comparison of the thick and thin mounting substrates, we also estimated the effects of Z and p by comparing the EBSD pattern quality from the Al₂O₃ particles mounted on thin-film substrates with the quality of patterns obtained Fe-Co nanoparticles approximately 120 nm in diameter. The results indicate that the increased background generated by the electrons escaping through the bottom of the small particles is the dominant reason for the poor EBSD pattern quality from nanoparticles 2O₃ particles as small as 130 nm using the thin-film mounting method.

Citation

Journal of Microscopy-Oxford

Volume

206

Issue

Pt. 2

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

EBSD, EBSD of < 500 nm dia particles, electron backscatter diffraction, particle analysis, phase identification

Citation

Small, J. , Michael, J. and Bright, D. (2002), Improving the Quality of Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) Patterns From Nanoparticles, Journal of Microscopy-Oxford (Accessed April 20, 2024)