Experimental evidence concerning the significant information depth of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)

Experiments concerning the information depth of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) are performed on samples featuring an amorphous wedge on a crystalline substrate and a crystalline wedge on an amorphous substrate. The effects of the acceleration voltage and exemplary software settings on the ability to measure through an amorphous layer are presented. Changes in the EBSD-signal could be detected through a ≈142nm thick layer of amorphous Si while orientation measurements could be performed through a ≈116nm thick layer when using a voltage of 30kV. The complexity of the information depth significant to a given EBSD-pattern and the multiple parameters influencing it are discussed. It is suggested that a "core information depth" is significant to high quality patterns while a larger "maximum information depth" becomes relevant when the pattern quality decreases or the sample is inhomogeneous within the information volume, i.e. in the form of partially crystalline materials or crystal layers in the nm scale.