Inelastic Scattering in Electron Backscatter Diffraction and Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging

Mendis, Budhika G.; Barthel, Juri; Findlay, Scott D.; Allen, Leslie J.

Abstract

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) are used to extract crystallographic information from bulk samples, such as their crystal structure and orientation as well as the presence of any dislocation and grain boundary defects. These techniques rely on the backscattered electron signal, which has a large distribution in electron energy. Here, the influence of plasmon excitations on EBSD patterns and ECCI dislocation images is uncovered by multislice simulations including inelastic scattering. It is shown that the Kikuchi band contrast in an EBSD pattern for silicon is maximum at small energy loss (i.e., few plasmon scattering events following backscattering), consistent with previous energy-filtered EBSD measurements. On the other hand, plasmon excitation has very little effect on the ECCI image of a dislocation. These results are explained by examining the role of the characteristic plasmon scattering angle on the intrinsic contrast mechanisms in EBSD and ECCI.

Citation

Mendis, B. G., Barthel, J., Findlay, S. D., & Allen, L. J. (2020). Inelastic Scattering in Electron Backscatter Diffraction and Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging. Microscopy and Microanalysis, 26(6), 1147-1157. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1431927620024605

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 29, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Nov 16, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Deposit Date: Nov 27, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: May 16, 2021
• Journal: Microscopy and Microanalysis
• Print ISSN: 1431-9276
• Electronic ISSN: 1435-8115
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 1147-1157
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/s1431927620024605
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1256455