EBSDmenetelmä

Electron Backscatter Diffraction, often abbreviated as EBSD, is a scanning electron microscopy based technique used to determine the crystallographic orientation and microstructure of a material sample. It relies on the diffraction of electrons that are backscattered from the surface of a crystalline sample. As electrons interact with the crystal lattice, they are diffracted at specific angles, creating Kikuchi patterns. These patterns, which are essentially a series of parallel lines, are characteristic of the crystal structure and orientation of the material at the point of interaction. By analyzing the geometry of these Kikuchi lines, the crystallographic orientation of the sample surface can be precisely determined.

The EBSD technique requires a highly polished and tilted sample surface, typically around 70 degrees relative to the electron beam. The electron beam scans across the sample, and at each point, the generated Kikuchi pattern is captured by a specialized detector. Sophisticated software then processes these patterns, indexing them to identify the crystal lattice and its orientation. This allows for the generation of various maps, such as orientation maps, grain boundary maps, and phase distribution maps, providing detailed insights into the material's microstructure. EBSD is widely used in materials science and engineering for research and quality control, aiding in the understanding of deformation mechanisms, phase transformations, and the relationship between microstructure and material properties.