Crystalline Surface Orientation Mapping from Directional Reflectance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical methods for determining crystallographic orientation on crystalline surfaces are limited by their inability to distinguish different grains and lack the capability to determine full three-dimensional (3D) crystal orientation, requiring costly and specialized equipment that is also low-throughput.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using directional reflectance microscopy (DRM) with advanced data processing techniques, such as Funk-Radon transform, to analyze optical reflectance data and determine 3D crystallographic orientation by pixelating and processing reflectance patterns from a crystalline surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is used to characterize crystallographic features, then measurement precision of local orientation is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to requiring specialized equipment and high vacuum conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex electron diffraction systems with a simple optical reflection system. Instead of using electron beams and specialized EBSD equipment requiring high vacuum, the invention uses visible light reflection patterns captured by standard optical microscopy to determine crystallographic orientation. This substitution maintains measurement capability while dramatically reducing device complexity and eliminating vacuum requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive, readily available optical components (light source, microscope, camera) instead of costly specialized equipment. The system uses standard optical elements that can be found in常规 laboratories rather than requiring expensive synchrotron or electron microscopy facilities, making the technique accessible and cost-effective
2Measurement precision
If X-ray diffraction is used to measure crystal structure, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to large penetration depth limiting local measurement capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the surface reflection information needed for orientation determination, ignoring the bulk penetration effect that plagues X-ray diffraction. By focusing exclusively on surface reflectance patterns rather than bulk diffraction, the system achieves local measurement capability while maintaining orientation determination accuracy, thereby improving throughput
3Ease of operation
If existing optical microscopy techniques are used to analyze microstructure, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to distinguish different grains with same optical contrast
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses reflectance intensity variations (optical contrast changes) caused by different crystallographic orientations to distinguish between grains. By measuring how different oriented grains reflect light differently, the system can differentiate grains that appear identical in conventional optical microscopy, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from 2D optical images to 3D orientation information by analyzing reflectance patterns from multiple angles and applying computational algorithms. This dimensional transformation allows extraction of full crystallographic orientation data from simple optical measurements, resolving the limitation of conventional optical microscopy
4Ease of operation
If conventional optical techniques are used to determine crystallographic orientation, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision worsens due to lack of capability to determine full three-dimensional crystal orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers full 3D orientation information from 2D reflectance patterns by utilizing the geometric relationship between incident light, reflected light, and crystal planes. Through computational analysis of reflectance intensity as a function of illumination and detection angles, the system reconstructs three-dimensional crystallographic orientation data from two-dimensional optical measurements, achieving complete orientation determination while maintaining operational simplicity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, high-throughput determination of local 3D grain orientation, overcoming limitations of existing methods by providing accurate crystallographic information without the need for high-vacuum environments or specialized samples, suitable for commercial-scale screening during manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
directing a beam of collimated light to strike a spot on the crystalline surface at a predetermined angle of incidence, wherein reflections from the crystalline surface at said spot are projected onto a detector screen
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A method of determining 3D crystallographic orientation on a crystalline surface of a sample. The method includes directing a beam of collimated light at a predetermined angle of incidence, wherein reflections from the crystalline surface are projected onto an image sensing unit positioned in a path of reflected light; obtaining a directional reflectance profile from an image of the reflectance pattern generated by the image sensing unit by pixelising the reflectance pattern into a pixelated-image with a center coinciding an intersection of a specularly reflected light beam and the image sensing unit; and processing the directional reflectance profile based on analyzing reflection intensity data in the pixelated-image of the directional reflectance profile to determine the crystallographic orientation of the crystalline surface. A further method including projecting the reflections onto a detector screen and capturing an image of the reflectance pattern on the detector screen.