Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

Transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD), also sometimes called transmission-electron backscatter diffraction (t-EBSD), is a relatively new method for orientation mapping at the nanoscale. By using an electron-transparent thin TEM foil instead of a bulk sample, the probed sample volume using a focused, transmitted electron beam is much smaller and the lateral resolution can be improved to ~3 nm. Off-axis TKD using Oxford Nordlys Max EBSD detector and on-axis TKD using the Bruker Optimus TKD head systems are available in our group. The main applications in the Nanoanalysis Group focus on the characterisation of nanocrystalline zirconium oxides and local analysis of stress crack tip in stainless steels and Ni-based alloys.

Bright-field FSD image and TKD-GND density map from stress crack tip region in an Alloy 600 sample