AZtecHKL
EBSD
EBSD Acquisition and Analysis
...the ultimate EBSD System
AZtecHKL
Intelligent design
EBSD
Acquire and solve
at the fastest
speeds
AZtecHKL
AZtec
At a glance...
AZtecHKL unravels the
complexity of EBSD
Fast
Flexible
• An intelligent optimisation process - concentrate on
• Work the way you want - AZtec incorporates
• Highest speed of acquisition and real-time display
Integrated
Developed by the market leader with global customer support and over 40
Accurate
years experience in nanoanalysis, AZtec meets the ever more challenging
• Powerful new AZtecTru-I solver engine gives the
• EBSD and EDS integration, combines Tru-Q
AZtec® couples Oxford Instruments’ vision and expertise with real customer
needs to create the ultimate materials characterisation system.
AZtec combines speed and accuracy of results for routine analysis, with the
flexibility and power required for applications that push the frontiers of the
EBSD technique.
requirements of analysis at the nanoscale.
AZtec integrates AZtecHKL acquisition and analysis software with the
Nordlys EBSD detectors to create a powerful and versatile solution for EBSD.
results and not how to collect them
best ‘out of the box’ results in real-time
• Advanced manual settings for expert use
• High hit rates, no compromise in data quality
automated features and advanced manual settings
Tru-I
TM
TM
and
for phase identification, plus combined EDS
and EBSD real-time mapping
Innovative
• Includes many powerful and intuitive tools for
solving the most difficult samples
2 AZtec EBSD
AZtec EBSD 3
ACCURATE
AZtec
tec
AZtec Tru-l Indexing
Tru-I
Robust, reliable indexing
Intelligent band detection
Nordlys EBSD detectors and the Tru-I indexing engine ensure that the best
quality patterns are collected and solved accurately, reliably and automatically.
AZtec implements an intelligent band
detection routine that determines
which of the detected bands should
be used in the indexing.
Collect the high quality patterns which are
Dynamic background correction enables pattern
essential to obtaining accurate EBSD data.
by pattern contrast optimisation.
• AZtec has an optimised system design, for the
• Excellent quality patterns can be achieved from all
collection of excellent patterns, even at high speeds
materials
or high binning
• This includes multiphase materials, where the
• The signal strength and noise are quantified and can
phases can have significantly different atomic
be used as a measure of pattern quality
numbers
•
Raw EBSP
•
Intelligent band detection uses both the average
intensity of the band and its position in the area of
interest
• Improves the percentage of correctly indexed
points, especially for materials exhibiting
indistinct bands or where pattern quality is low
Patterns from an
intermetallic phase
in a stainless steel.
With a tetragonal
structure and so
a large lattice
parameter, the bands
are narrow and are
more difficult to detect accurately.
AZtec automatically detects the bands correctly.
Dynamic background correction automatically
masks screen imperfections.
Dynamic Background Corrected
Magnetic Field
Correction for solving
distorted patterns
A
B
C
D
In some applications, high magnetic
fields from the SEM lenses distort
the electron backscattered
diffraction patterns. This distortion
curves the Kikuchi bands and
shifts the pattern centre, but can be
corrected automatically using AZtec.
• The correction straightens the
bands and corrects the pattern
centre so patterns can be
correctly solved
Raw diffraction patterns have weak diffraction
contrast...
The dynamic background correction automatically
compensates for changes in acquisition conditions.
• A dipole correction described in
Oxford Instruments’ US patent
7442930B2 is applied
4 AZtec EBSD
These patterns illustrate (A) an undistorted pattern from Si, (B) an EBSP distorted by the high
field lens, (C) the poor fit between distorted pattern and solution and (D) a corrected pattern
and solution.
AZtec EBSD 5
ACCURATE
AZtec
AZ
tec
Tru-I
Tru-I
Superior accuracy
Distinguish similar crystal structures
The EBSD indexing routine is critical in
achieving accurate results - AZtec
uses a new method, Class Indexing.
AZtec’s superior indexing routine achieves
excellent resolution at grain boundaries, as
shown in the steel map below.
AZtec correctly identifies phases with similar crystal structures by comparing
band width.
This example shows a Pt and Ni weld from the central electrode tip of an automative spark plug. Pt and Ni have
the similar crystal structure, and the difference in lattice parameter is only 9%.
Class Indexing examines groups of four bands, which
then form the foundation of the indexing routine
8 bands
Pt
Ni
Crystal system
Cubic High (m3m)
Cubic High (m3m)
Space group
225
225
Lattice parameter
a=b=c=3.924Å
a=b=c=3.57Å
Ni Map
Table shows that Pt and Ni are almost identical in crystal structure.
•
25 µm
the correct solution can be
achieved even if one or more
detected band is not included
in the list of reference
Duplex steel showing four phases, analysed using AZtec. The indexing is robust
and delivers a comparable result using either 12 or 8 bands in the indexing routine.
12 bands
Pt Map
This method is robust and
Solve the most
difficult samples
Ni and Pt X-ray maps, collected simultaneously with as EBSD, show
the distribution of Pt and Ni in the sample corresponding to the
phase map below.
reflectors
• The system is less sensitive
Traditional Indexing
to the operator selecting
With Tru-I
the number of bands and
reflectors
Iron fcc
25 µm
100 µm
100 µm
Iron bcc
sigma
Chi
6 AZtec EBSD
Traditional indexing cannot distinguish between the two phases.
Sorting solutions based on differences in band width to see detail
of the two separate phases and the mixed region in the weld.
AZtec EBSD 7
FAST
AZtec
AutoCal
Faster, more accurate results... automatically
AZtecHKL is intelligent EBSD. Change acquisition conditions and still collect
quality EBSD patterns at the click of a button.
AZtecHKL corrects for changes in acquisition conditions
automatically and in real-time.
Collect accurate data routinely under a full range of working distance and detector insertion
distance – without recalibrating
• AZtecAutoCal is a sophisticated geometric correction which works seamlessly and automatically to calculate
calibration parameters based upon changes in geometry
• Compensates for changes to the projection parameters resulting from beam movement at low magnification
• The system is quick and easy to set up, whatever the user experience level
10 mm WD
Tools to optimise the
system with ease,
while including all
the flexibility needed.
15 mm WD
Optimising your system for data acquisition is easier and more automated than ever before
20 mm WD
Pattern collected from Fe bcc at three different Working Distances (WD).
The change in geometry is automatically compensated for, and the patterns
quickly solved.
• Automatic detector exposure
• Intelligent dynamic background
• Detector control from within the user interface
• Change SEM conditions – kV, probe current,
magnification, or stage tilt – without recalibrating,
Focus on
your results
rather than your
acquisition
and still collect an optimised EBSP which is correctly solved
8 AZtec EBSD
AZtec EBSD 9
POWERFUL
AZtecSynergy
PhaseID
Power of integration
AZtec
AZ
tec
AZtecSynergy combines AZtecEnergy and AZtecHKL to create the ultimate
materials characterisation system with simultaneous EBSD and EDS analysis.
Simultaneously collect the EDS spectrum and EBSD pattern from a single point
on the sample, for accurate phase identification.
• EBSD and EDS are integrated in a single interface with no compromise in functionality or productivity
• View EDS and EBSD data simultaneously at up to 870 points per second
• View and optimise the acquisition parameters for both detectors from a single window
• Unknown phases can be identified from the stored patterns and spectra once an EBSD / EDS data set
• Powerful and fast phase search to identify candidate phases based on chemical information
• Accurately determine the phase from a list of candidate phases, using Tru-I algorithms
• Save spectra and EBSD patterns with reference image
is collected
An EBSP and X-ray spectrum
are collected simultaneously.
The X-ray quantification is used
to identify candidate phases.
Simultaneous EBSD and EDS mapping, data acquired and displayed in real-time and at the fastest speed.
The correct phase is identified from
the candidate list using the EBSP.
The PhaseID navigator combines the EDS and EBSD
information in order to identify an unknown phase.
10 AZtec EBSD
AZtec EBSD 11
INTEGRATION
EDS
AZtecSynergy
Integrated EBSD and EDS mapping
AZtecSynergy provides a true and complete characterisation
of the sample in real-time.
• Easy to use, with no complex switching between techniques
• A single interface is used for data collection
• Use EBSD map as a reference image for EDS collection
• Stored data can be interrogated offline
Powerful
integration of
EBSD and EDS
• Unleash the power of the X-Max
• View ALL of the data in real-time
N
SDD and Nordlys EBSD detectors
• EBSD patterns are indexed as acquired to create orientation and phase maps together with element maps
• Change EDS parameters or EBSD parameters and see the impact on the results immediately
Ni
Phase Map
AZtecSynergy is optimised so there’s no loss in performance when the
EBSD and EDS data are collected simultaneously.
• View and report EDS and EBSD
maps simultaneously
Ni Map
W
IPF Map
W Map
EDS and EBSD maps from a Tungsten Alloy.
Data were collected simultaneously at
870 Hz and 99% hit rate. The EBSD and
X-ray maps were displayed in real-time.
100 µm
EBSD detector was a NordlysMax2, the EDS
detector was an X-MaxN 80.
12 AZtec EBSD
AZtec EBSD 13
FLEXIBLE
AZtec
AZ
tec
Re-Analysis
Orientation Imaging
Process post acquisition and offline
Flexible imaging
AZtecHKL re-analysis is completely flexible:
AZtec, coupled with any Nordlys
EBSD detector, is a powerful solution
for all EBSD applications.
• Optimise solver settings, or add additional phases, and re-analyse the data offline
• It is not necessary to know all the phases in the sample before acquiring data
In this example, secondary phases in the steel
are missed when the data are first collected.
• The Nordlys detectors can incorporate
up to 6 forescattered detector diodes
• AZtec enables independent image
acquisition from each diode
• Flexibility to customise and mix any
combination of these images
The data stored with
the maps can be
interrogated offline
and these unknown
phases identified.
Re-analysing the dataset, including the
additional phases, completes the map –
without returning to the SEM.
14 AZtec EBSD
Orientation contrast image from a polished Gabbro,
formed by mixing the two lower forsescattered images.
250 µm
The different grain orientations within the rock are visible. In
addition, twining can be seen in some of the larger grains.
Images from each of the six diodes
can be viewed and controlled
independently. This maximises the sample
detail visible from these images.
AZtec EBSD 15
INNOVATION
AutoLock
AZtec
AZ
tec
AZtecHKL
Automated drift correction
Operationally transparent
AZtecAutoLock is an integrated drift correction tool that corrects EBSD and
EDS data simultaneously to deliver the most accurate maps.
AZtecHKL includes all of the sophisticated tools required to solve the most
challenging EBSD applications and samples.
• Unique blend of predictive and reactive drift correction routines
• Corrects drift on tilted and untilted samples
• Essential for high magnification nanoscale EBSD
• A map calculator tool gives complete control of the analysis area and the step size, and shows the
predicted time to complete the data acquisition
Map calculator tool.
Flexibility to set the step size or the resolution
for a mapping grid
• Ensure the sample microstructure is sufficiently
sampled
• Important for grain characterisation studies
• A calibration refinement tool can verify and optimise
the calibration.
• AZtec enables the collection of more data, in more
detail
• up to 4k x 4k EBSD maps
• up to 8k x 8k images
High resolution
inverse pole figure
map of a bent steel.
A specific area of
interest can be
defined using the
freehand drawing
tool. This will save
acquisition time and
reduce sample drift.
Map A Without AutoLock
Map B With AutoLock
Map A shows an IPF map overlaid onto the electron image.
The two images do not overlap exactly because the image
was drifting as the map was being collected.
Map B was collected from the same sample area, with
AZtecAutoLock drift correction switched on. Using AutoLock
the electron image and the map are now correctly aligned.
AutoLock ensures you collect the most accurate maps every time.
16 AZtec EBSD
AZtec EBSD 17
FLEXIBLE
USABILITY
Power of AZtec
Different laboratories have different requirements, and
different analysts have different levels of experience...
Work the way you want to.
Each navigator
step is accompanied
by Step Notes,
incorporating
on-screen help
and images
Detailed analytical conditions can be saved in
Multiple reporting options
User Profiles and reloaded with ease
• Report directly from the AZtec interface
• Export your data in the resolution and format
• Load the appropriate User Profile to adapt your
analytical settings in seconds
Step Notes are associated with
each stage of the interface.
These are easily tailored to
include specific instructions
or operating procedures.
• Link User Profiles to specific sample types or
applications
you need
• Comprehensive list of report templates for
specific applications
Work efficiently while your data is acquiring
• AZtec is truly multi-tasking
• Write reports or interrogate data during acquisition
Step Notes can be tailored to incorporate specific Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) into the AZtec interface
• Ideal for novice or infrequent users, or those following a procedure
• Assist all your users, for all experience levels
• Step Notes can also be used to describe other analytical
considerations, such as sample preparation or optimum
SEM conditions
18 AZtec EBSD
Effectively manage multi-user
environments with user
profiles. Store a range of
parameters, including, phase
selections, solver and camera
settings, and geometry.
AZtec EBSD 19
OISERVICE
Global Customer Support
Accredited, experienced, responsive, dedicated
Oxford Instruments recognises that your success
requires not just only world-class products, but also
world-class service and support. Our global service
team is renowned for delivering outstanding
service to customers and microscope vendors:
• Hands-on and theory classroom training
• On-site training tailored to your specific needs
• Web-based courses and training videos
• Consultancy and application support
• Multi-layered maintenance and service contracts
help desk
remote assist
training
maintenance consul
tanc
y
hardware upgrades
parts &
acces
sories
layered contracts
application advice
software updati
visit www.oxford-instruments.com/EBSD
The materials presented here are summary in nature, subject to change, and intended for general information only.
Performances are configuration dependent. Additional details are available. Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis
is certified to ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001. AZtec and Tru-I are Registered Trademarks of Oxford Instruments plc,
all other trademarks acknowledged. © Oxford Instruments plc, 2013. All rights reserved. Document reference: OINA/AZtecHKL/Jan2013.
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