An iterative method for reference pattern selection in high resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HR-EBSD)

TL;DR

This paper introduces an iterative method to select the optimal reference diffraction pattern in HR-EBSD, improving the accuracy of strain and rotation measurements across various materials.

Contribution

It presents a novel iterative algorithm that optimizes reference pattern selection, enhancing measurement precision in high-resolution EBSD analysis.

Findings

The method improves strain and rotation map accuracy.

The relationship between cross-correlation and error guides pattern selection.

Validation across different materials demonstrates robustness.

Abstract

For high (angular) resolution electron backscatter diffraction (HR-EBSD), the selection of a reference diffraction pattern (EBSP0) significantly affects the precision of the calculated strain and rotation maps. This effect was demonstrated in plastically deformed body-centred cubic and face-centred cubic ductile metals (ferrite and austenite grains in duplex stainless steel) and brittle single-crystal silicon, which showed that the effect is not only limited to measurement magnitude but also spatial distribution. An empirical relationship was then identified between the cross-correlation parameter and angular error, which was used in an iterative algorithm to identify the optimal reference pattern that maximises the precision of HR-EBSD.