TY - JOUR A1 - Sitzman, S. D. A1 - Nolze, Gert A1 - Nowell, M. M. T1 - EBSD Pattern Quality and its Use in Evaluating Sample Surface Condition JF - Microscopy and Microanalysis N2 - Modern EBSD systems perform diffraction pattern “quality” (PQ) calculations, essentially measurements of the contrast of the brighter bands in the pattern above background, for every pattern analyzed. Since the calculations are independent of EBSD indexing, data are generated from all points on the analyzed sample surface, regardless of indexability or the state of the material beneath. EBSD maps generated from PQ data are like microstructurally sensitive SEM images, collected at EBSD speeds and grid resolutions, with contrast arising from phase density, crystal structure, crystallographic orientation, grain boundary location, near-surface plastic strain, coating density/thickness, and to some extent topography. Grain boundaries and other aspects of sample microstructure are readily revealed, so the PQ map is a very useful characterization tool in its own right, and serves as a reference for EBSD maps generated from indexing-derived data, such as orientation, grain boundary character, phase distribution and strain maps. KW - Electron backscatter diffraction KW - Sample preparation KW - Pattern quality PY - 2010 DO - https://doi.org/10.1017/S143192761005467X VL - 16 IS - Suppl. 2 SP - 698 EP - 699 PB - Microscopy Society of America AN - OPUS4-37997 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -