Identifying rotational symmetry axes in Kikuchi patterns by reciprocal vectors. (28th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Fan; Zhang, Yongsheng; Li, Wei; Miao, Hong; Zeng, Yi
• Is Part Of: Journal of microscopy. Volume 283:Part 3(2021)
• Page Start: 192
• Page End: 201
• Publication Date: 2021-05-28
• Subjects: EBSD -- Kikuchi pattern -- projection correction -- symmetry axes; Microscopy -- Periodicals; 502.82
• DOI: 10.1111/jmi.13018
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-2720

Abstract

Abstract: Symmetry analysis of the Kikuchi pattern is helpful to determine the crystal structure, and can significantly reduce the screening range of phase identification, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of phase identification in electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Accurately identifying the symmetry axis from the Kikuchi pattern is the primary task of symmetry analysis. In this study, a new method was proposed to identify symmetry axes in Kikuchi patterns with the aid of reciprocal vectors. Taking the Kikuchi patterns of single‐crystal silicon as a typical example, a method for drawing reciprocal vectors after strict projection correction is introduced. The complex task of identifying the symmetry axis is transformed into an intuitive judgment of the geometric relationship between reciprocal vectors, thus greatly simplifying the process. This method successfully elucidated information on six Kikuchi poles in three single‐crystal silicon Kikuchi patterns, including 3‐fold axes, 4‐fold axes and asymmetric axes. The method can also distinguish between a 3‐fold axis and an analogous 3‐fold axis despite their only slight differences. Lay description: Symmetry analysis of the Kikuchi pattern is helpful to determine the crystal structure, and can significantly reduce the screening range of phase identification, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of phase identification in electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Accurately identifying the symmetry axis from the Kikuchi pattern is the primary task of symmetry analysis. In our study, a new method was proposed to identify symmetry axes in Kikuchi patterns with the aid of reciprocal vectors. Taking the Kikuchi patterns of single‐crystal silicon as a typical example, a method for drawing reciprocal vectors after strict projection correction is introduced. The complex task of identifying the symmetry axis is transformed into an intuitive judgment of the geometric relationship between reciprocal vectors, thus greatly simplifying the process. This method successfully elucidated information on six Kikuchi poles in three single‐crystal silicon Kikuchi patterns, including 3‐fold axes, 4‐fold axes and asymmetric axes. The method can also distinguish between a 3‐fold axis and an analogous 3‐fold axis despite their only slight differences. It is indicated that the reciprocal vectors after projection correction can reflect the symmetry information well, making the identification of the symmetry axis more intuitive, which is helpful for symmetry analysis of the Kikuchi pattern, and lays an important foundation for phase identification using crystal symmetry.