Electron Channeling Pattern Reconstruction via Stage Rocking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current crystal orientation mapping technologies, such as EBSD and SACP, require expensive specialized instrumentation and suffer from limitations like pattern distortion, sensitivity to spherical aberration, and restricted angular resolution, making them costly and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

A system that captures electron channeling patterns through stage-rocking and raster-scanning, using computational methods to align and reconstruct images, enabling distortion-free geometry, high angular resolution, and energy filtering without the need for specialized hardware, allowing for orientation mapping and strain analysis with standard detectors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If specialized instrumentation (EBSD/SACP) is used for crystal orientation mapping, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrystal orientation mapping precisionVSAvoidinstrumentation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates computational copies of electron channeling patterns from multiple standard microscope images taken at different stage orientations. Instead of requiring specialized EBSD/SACP instrumentation, the system captures conventional images and computationally reconstructs ECPs, allowing orientation mapping with standard equipment while maintaining measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/specialized instrumentation system (EBSD detectors, SACP optics) with a computational system. Standard microscope images are processed through alignment algorithms and Fourier transform-based ECP reconstruction to achieve crystal orientation mapping without specialized hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If specialized instrumentation is used, then measurement precision is improved, but acquisition time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorientation mapping precisionVSAvoiddata acquisition time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary alignment of multiple images during the data collection phase, using correlation algorithms to pre-register images before ECP reconstruction. This preliminary action reduces the computational burden during reconstruction and accelerates the overall process while maintaining precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously collects standard microscope images while the stage rocks through different orientations, maintaining continuous data acquisition without interruption. The computational processing occurs in parallel or immediately following acquisition, eliminating idle time between measurement steps

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Measurement precision

If stage-rocking with multiple images is used, then angular resolution is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveangular resolutionVSAvoidmeasurement system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the standard microscope stage serve multiple functions: it not only positions the sample but also rocks the sample through different orientations to capture images at multiple angles. This universal use of the existing stage mechanism provides high angular resolution without adding specialized rocking instrumentation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces computational alignment algorithms and Fourier transform processing as intermediaries between the raw multi-orientation images and the final ECP reconstruction. These computational intermediaries process the stage-rocked images to extract high-resolution angular information without requiring complex hardware

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This approach reduces costs, provides high precision in crystal orientation mapping, and enables simultaneous electron channeling contrast imaging, strain mapping, and defect analysis with improved spatial resolution and reduced acquisition time, applicable beyond electron microscopes.

Implementation Method 1

capture a plurality images of a sample... generate one or more electron channeling patterns (ECPs) corresponding to the sample

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectron channeling:

Implementation Method 2

electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)... selected area channeling patterns (SACP)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBackscatter diffraction:

Data Source

PatentUS11454596B2Orientation determination and mapping by stage rocking electron channeling and imaging reconstruction

Publication Date: 2022.09.27 NORTHWESTERN UNIV

AI summary

A system to generate orientation maps includes a measurement system configured to capture a plurality images of a sample and a computing device in operable communication with the measurement system. The computing device is configured to align the plurality of images of the sample and process the aligned plurality of images to detect one or more regions of interest. The computing device is also configured to generate one or more electron channeling patterns (ECPs) corresponding to the sample based on the one or more regions of interest. The computing device is further configured to generate an orientation map of the sample based on the one or more ECPs.