Implementing Transmission Electron Backscatter Diffraction for Atom Probe Tomography.

There are advantages to performing transmission electron backscattering diffraction (tEBSD) in conjunction with focused ion beam-based specimen preparation for atom probe tomography (APT). Although tEBSD allows users to identify the position and character of grain boundaries, which can then be combined with APT to provide full chemical and orientation characterization of grain boundaries, tEBSD can also provide imaging information that improves the APT specimen preparation process by insuring proper placement of the targeted grain boundary within an APT specimen. In this report we discuss sample tilt angles, ion beam milling energies, and other considerations to optimize Kikuchi diffraction pattern quality for the APT specimen geometry. Coordinated specimen preparation and analysis of a grain boundary in a Ni-based Inconel 600 alloy is used to illustrate the approach revealing a 50° misorientation and trace element segregation to the grain boundary.

Formation of Nanoporous Gold Studied by Transmission Electron Backscatter Diffraction.

Transmission electron backscatter diffraction (t-EBSD) was used to investigate the effect of dealloying on the microstructure of 140-nm thin gold foils. Statistical and local comparisons of the microstructure between the nonetched and nanoporous gold foils were made. Analyses of crystallographic texture, misorientation distribution, and grain structure clearly prove that during the dealloying manufacturing process of nanoporous materials the crystallographic texture is enhanced significantly with a clear decrease of internal strain, whereas maintaining the grain structure.

Specimen-thickness effects on transmission Kikuchi patterns in the scanning electron microscope.

We report the effects of varying specimen thickness on the generation of transmission Kikuchi patterns in the scanning electron microscope. Diffraction patterns sufficient for automated indexing were observed from films spanning nearly three orders of magnitude in thickness in several materials, from 5 nm of hafnium dioxide to 3 µm of aluminum, corresponding to a mass-thickness range of ~5 to 810 µg cm(-2) . The scattering events that are most likely to be detected in transmission are shown to be very near the exit surface of the films. The energies, spatial distribution and trajectories of the electrons that are transmitted through the film and are collected by the detector are predicted using Monte Carlo simulations.

In-situ integrity control of frozen-hydrated, vitreous lamellas prepared by the cryo-focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope.

Recently a number of new approaches have been presented with the intention to produce electron beam transparent cryo-sections (lamellas in FIB-SEM terminology) from hydrated vitreously frozen cryo samples with a Focused Ion Beam (FIB) system, suitable for cryo-Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM). As the workflow is still challenging and time consuming, it is important to be able to determine the integrity and suitability (cells vs. no cells; vitreous vs. crystalline) of the lamellas. Here we present an in situ method that tests both conditions by using the cryo-Scanning Electron Microscope (cryo-SEM) in transmission mode (TSEM; Transmission Scanning Electron Microscope) once the FIB-made lamella is ready. Cryo-TSEM imaging of unstained cells yields strong contrast, enabling direct imaging of material present in the lamellas. In addition, orientation contrast is shown to be suitable for distinguishing crystalline lamellas from vitreous lamellas. Tilting the stage a few degrees results in changes of contrast between ice grains as a function of the tilt angle, whereas the contrast of areas with vitreous ice remains unchanged as a function of the tilt angle. This orientation contrast has subsequently been validated by cryo-Electron BackScattered Diffraction (EBSD) in transmission mode. Integration of the presented method is discussed and the role it can play in future developments for a new and innovative all-in-one cryo-FIB-SEM life sciences instrument.

Identifying suboxide grains at the metal-oxide interface of a corroded Zr-1.0%Nb alloy using (S)TEM, transmission-EBSD and EELS.

Here we report a methodology combining TEM, STEM, Transmission-EBSD and EELS to analyse the structural and chemical properties of the metal-oxide interface of corroded Zr alloys in unprecedented detail. TEM, STEM and diffraction results revealed the complexity of the distribution of suboxide grains at the metal-oxide interface. EELS provided accurate quantitative analysis of the oxygen concentration across the interface, identifying the existence of local regions of stoichiometric ZrO and Zr3O2 with varying thickness. Transmission-EBSD confirmed that the suboxide grains can be indexed with the hexagonal ZrO structure predicted with ab initio by Nicholls et al. (2014). The t-EBSD analysis has also allowed for the mapping of a relatively large region of the metal-oxide interface, revealing the location and size distribution of the suboxide grains.