2025/04/15 by Tianbi Zhang, Zhang, Tianbi, Ruth Birch +9 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Engineering · Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques #Ion-surface interactions and analysis #Nuclear Physics and Applications
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/mam/ozaf076
openalex publication_date 2025/07/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
Compact direct electron detectors are becoming increasingly popular in electron microscopy applications including electron backscatter diffraction, as they offer an opportunity for low cost and accessible microstructural analysis. In this work, we explore how one of these commercial devices based on the Timepix chip can be optimized to obtain high-quality data quickly and easily, through careful systematic analysis of a variety of samples, including: semiconductor silicon, commercially pure nickel, a dual phase titanium-molybdenum alloy, and a silicon carbide ceramic matrix composite. Our findings provide strategies for very fast collection of orientation maps, including at low voltage (5-10 keV) and low beam current conditions. Additionally, strategies for collection of very high-quality EBSD patterns are demonstrated that have significant potential for advanced EBSD applications (e.g., elastic strain mapping).