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Quantitative metallography by electron backscattered diffraction
Author(s) -
HUMPHREYS F. J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2818.1999.00578.x
Subject(s) - electron backscatter diffraction , metallography , characterization (materials science) , materials science , diffraction , microstructure , scanning electron microscope , optics , metallurgy , nanotechnology , physics , composite material
Although electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) in the scanning electron microscope is used mainly to investigate the relationship between local textures and microstructures, the technique has now developed to the stage where it requires serious consideration as a tool for routine quantitative characterization of microstructures. This paper examines the application of EBSD to the characterization of phase distributions, grain and subgrain structures and also textures. Comparisons are made with the standard methods of quantitative metallography and it is shown that in many cases EBSD can produce more accurate and detailed measurements than the standard methods and that the data may sometimes be obtained more rapidly. The factors which currently limit the use of EBSD for quantitative microstructural characterization, including the speed of data acquisition and the angular and spatial resolutions, are discussed, and future developments are considered.