Abstract: An x-ray spectrum collected from a sample via excitation of the sample by an electron beam includes artifacts due to interaction volume, surface effects, contamination, or other interferences with the desired collection of representative x-rays from the sample. Inline spectral correlation, summation, averaging, other aggregation, or combinations thereof provides more precise collection of x-ray spectrum from multi-phase, unprepared, particle, or complex samples.

Abstract: An x-ray spectrum collected from a sample via excitation of the sample by an electron beam includes artifacts due to interaction volume, surface effects, contamination, or other interferences with the desired collection of representative x-rays from the sample. Inline spectral correlation, summation, averaging, other aggregation, or combinations thereof provides more precise collection of x-ray spectrum from multi-phase, unprepared, particle, or complex samples.

Abstract: A diffraction pattern is averaged with adjacent diffraction patterns to increase a signal to noise ratio thereof and improve indexing accuracy. The pixels of a diffraction pattern image are averaged with a correlated pixel from one or more adjacent diffraction patterns. Noise artifacts are reduced in intensity, while signals present in each of the patterns reinforce one another to produce an averaged diffraction pattern which is then indexed.

Abstract: A diffraction pattern is averaged with adjacent diffraction patterns to increase a signal to noise ratio thereof and improve indexing accuracy. The pixels of a diffraction pattern image are averaged with a correlated pixel from one or more adjacent diffraction patterns. Noise artifacts are reduced in intensity, while signals present in each of the patterns reinforce one another to produce an averaged diffraction pattern which is then indexed.

Abstract: An analytical method for combining chemical information with crystallographic information to obtain a map of the crystal orientation, the nature of grain boundaries, and distinguishing crystalline phases in a polycrystalline sample, including the steps of providing a sample with a prescribed grid of points thereon, selecting a point, applying a collimated electron beam to the point to obtain an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) pattern and the elemental composition of the sample at the point. Recording the information and repeating for each point in the grid and determining the crystalline phases in the sample. An instrument capable of performing the method includes an SEM having means for applying an electron beam to a sample, means for obtaining an EBSD pattern (EBSP), and means for determining the composition of the sample, as well as means for recording EBSD band locations and characteristics and the elemental composition of the sample.

Abstract: An analytical method for combining chemical information with crystallographic information to obtain a map of the crystal orientation, the nature of grain boundaries, and distinguishing crystalline phases in a polycrystalline sample, including the steps of providing a sample with a prescribed grid of points thereon, selecting a point, applying a collimated electron beam to the point to obtain an electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) pattern and the elemental composition of the sample at the point. Recording the information and repeating for each point in the grid and determining the crystalline phases in the sample. An instrument capable of performing the method includes an SEM having means for applying an electron beam to a sample, means for obtaining an EBSD pattern (EBSP), and means for determining the composition of the sample, as well as means for recording EBSD band locations and characteristics and the elemental composition of the sample.