EBSD is used to determine specific crystallographic orientations within a specimen. Therefore it is possible to distinguish between different grains of the same phase, estimate grain size, misorientation of the lattices of two adjacent grains and the character of the grain boundaries as wells as to investigate textures and preferred crystal orientations with a high resolution. The method can also be used to investigate different phases of the same composition.

Signals relevant for EBSD are generated in the upper 10 – 20 nm of the specimen surface only! Hence, a carefully polished specimen surface is crucial for EBSD measurements.

---

DigiView 4 EBSD detector (EDAX AMETEK)

   - high resolution pattern images (1392 x 1040 pixel, 1.4 megapixel)
   - up to 150 indexed patterns per second possible
   - possibility of measuring non conducting materials using “low vacuum mode” to avoid charge built up
   - OIM v5 software package for data acquisition and processing

---

The following example shows a part of rolled aluminum. The measurements were done with 20 kV and 23 nA over an area of 2500 x 2500 µm with step size of 10 µm. 72 395 points were analyzed with a rate of 10.7 points per second. The data was kindly provided by J. Dake, Institute of micro and nano materials, UUlm.