LabAdviser/314/Microscopy 314-307/SEM/Nova/Transmission Kikuchi diffraction: Difference between revisions

The formation of Kikuchi patterns can be described as a two-step process, as shown schematically in Fig. 3.1. The fi�rst step consists of an incoherent inelastic, large angle scattering process of the primary beam electrons, producing a point-like electron source inside of the crystal. The second step is the elastic and inelastic coherent

scattering of these electrons by the crystal planes of the material: the electrons can be Bragg reflected at lattice planes with reciprocal lattice vector -g if the Bragg angle is ±B or if the direction of incidence ~ k_0 lies on one of the Kossel cones, which have an aperture 90°- �~B and the ~g direction (normal to the lattice planes) as axis. There is a pair of Kossel cones for ~g, another pair for 2~g and so on. The intersection between the Kossel cones and the plane of observation results in the formation of Kikuchi lines. The intersection is an hyperbola, but the lines are approximately straight owing to the low value of �~B . The formed Kikuchi lines do not have the same intensity: one line, called the excess line, is brighter than the other, called the defect line.