Crystal orientation and detector distance effects on resolving pseudosymmetry by electron backscatter diffraction

TL;DR

This study investigates how crystal orientation and detector distance influence the ability of intensity-based electron backscatter diffraction to resolve pseudosymmetry in tetragonal ZrO2, highlighting the benefits of shorter detector distances.

Contribution

It provides a quantitative analysis of how sample orientation and detector distance affect pseudosymmetry resolution in intensity-based EBSD, an area with limited prior work.

Findings

Shorter detector distances improve pseudosymmetry resolution.

Certain orientations are easier to index correctly.

Detector distance affects indexing confidence based on zone axes.

Abstract

Accurately indexing pseudosymmetric materials has long proven challenging for electron backscatter diffraction. The recent emergence of intensity-based indexing approaches promises an enhanced ability to resolve pseudosymmetry compared to traditional Hough-based indexing approaches. However, little work has been done to understand the effects of sample position and orientation on the ability to resolve pseudosymmetry, especially for intensity-based indexing approaches. Thus, in this work we quantitatively investigate the effects of crystal orientation and detector distance in a model tetragonal ZrO2 (c/a=1.0185) material. We identify orientations that are easiest and most difficult to correctly index, characterize the effect of detector distance on indexing confidence, and analyze these trends based on the appearance of specific zone axes in the diffraction patterns. Our findings also point to the clear benefit of shorter detector distances for resolving pseudosymmetry using intensity-based indexing approaches.