Microdiffraction and analysis

The intensity distribution in the microdiffraction pattern depends strongly on the coherence of the illuminated source. The coherence width at the specimen level is considered as a parameter to check the coherence of an electron microscope. Two application examples are illustrated. A small interphase precipitate of MgNi2 in an Ni superalloy has been identified by a combination of microdiffraction and energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) techniques, though it can not be found by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area diffraction (SAD). By means of microdiffraction as well as high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM) imaging a defect structure has been determined. Such a defect makes the lattice extinction spots appear with various intensities in the selected area diffraction and microdiffraction patterns.