This tutorial will describe the technique of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). To properly exploit EBSD in the SEM it is important to understand how these patterns are formed. This discussion will be followed by a description of the hardware required for the collection of electron backscatter patterns (EBSP). We will then discuss the methods used to extract the appropriate crystallographic information from the patterns for orientation determination and phase identification and how these operations can be automated. Following this, a number of applications of the technique for both orientation studies and phase identification will be discussed.

EBSD in the SEM is a phenomenon that has been known for many years. EBSD in the SEM is a technique that permits the crystallography of sub-micron sized regions to be studied from a bulk specimen. These patterns were first observed over 40 years ago, before the development of the SEM and were recorded using a special chamber and photographic film.