Assignment 2

JAGANATH GAONKAR ( 2023MEZ0014 )

Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging (ECCI)

Working Principle:
Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) is the
technique used in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
for the analysis of the microstructure in the sample using
the channeling effect due to the orientation of lattice in the
crystallographic plane during the passage of the electrons.
The main principle use by the ECCI is directing electrons
along specific lattice planes within crystalline materials. The
variation in the interaction between the incident electron
beam and the crystal lattice orientations, particularly in
regions with different grain orientations, leads to a
corresponding variation in backscattered electron intensity.
This variability results in the creation of an image where
different grains are represented by distinct gray scale levels. Figure 1: ECCI image of a deformed and partially
By exploiting the differences in channeling efficiency based recrystallised Ni superalloy, collected using
on crystal orientation, ECCI enables the visualization of forescatter detectors in a high tilt geometry. Field
of view ~300 mm across.
crystallographic features and defects in materials with high
resolution as shown in (Figure 1).

For most metals and ceramic materials they are made up of crystalline like grains in the materials, so
when we do mechanical polishing we get smooth mirror like surfaces, assuming there is a grain
boundary and then there are lattice plans which has different orientation as shown in the (Figure 2).
When electron beam enters the material, some electrons bounce back from the material which are the
back scattered electrons (BSE). Now in the grain where the lattice plans are aligned with the direction of
the electron beam there are the empty space between the lattices which act like a channels for the
electrons and from here the word channeling is used, and electrons can channel deeper into the
material through these spaces, this is called electron channeling. Since the electron channels deeper, it
is difficult for the electron to come out of the sample. Therefore for the electron which strike at the
location where there is less space it travels shorter distance and hence electron has the higher
possibility to escape as compare to the electrons which strike at the location where channels are
available. Higher possibility to escape means we get more BSE count (higher signals) and the image is
brighter. This passage of electrons through the channels depends on the orientation of the channels
with the electron beam. If the electron beam is in line with the orientation of the channels then
electrons passes deeper into the sample or vice versa. Therefore the grain with miss orientation with
electrons appears brighter and grain in orientation appears darker this gives the channeling contrast.
ECCI can be used to reveal the dislocations. The technique is similar to the one used to reveal the
orientation of the grains. As can be seen from the figure 2 when we have electron coming down the
perfect lattice, it will allow the good channeling and there will be less back scattered electrons coming
out and as a result there will be less signal and dark grain will appear. But when beam strike the
dislocated area there will be less channeling and due to the lattice bending there will be higher BSC
bouncing back and the dislocation line along the region will appear to be bright. As a result the grain will
appear dark but the dislocations will appear to be the bright lines in the material. This is a very cost
effective way to image the dislocation. Using TEM we get the more information about the dislocation
but get information about the distribution of the dislocation without worrying about the slip plane etc,
ECCI can be a very cost effective way.

C D

Figure 2: Schematic representation of a crystal lattice. Two different beam-crystal orientations are
indicated, demonstrating (A) a nonchanneling and (B) a channeling situation. (C) Open channel due to
perfect lattice. (D) Closed channels due to dislocations.

Sample Preparation:
For the successful channeling contrast imaging the conditions of the surface of the sample are extremely
important as the channeling contrast are created in 10-100nm depth range. Also the contrast due to the
surface topography needs to be eliminated to achieve the 2-5 % channeling contrast. To achieve this
grinding and surface polishing is used. Ion beam sputtering or electrochemical polishing is then used to
remove the surface abrasions that remain after the initial polishing. Sometimes coating is also carried
out to eliminate the charging effect during the imaging process. Small markers or notches can be added
to the sample for easy identification of specific crystallographic orientations. Then verify the quality and
thickness of the prepared sample. The prepared sample is typically mounted on a suitable holder for
insertion into the scanning electron microscope (SEM) by making sure it is aligned to the specific
crystallographic orientation. Efficient sample preparation ensures that ECCI can provide accurate and
detailed information about crystallographic orientations and defects within materials.

Imaging Procedure:
The sample is positioned in the SEM, and the incident angle of the electron beam is optimized for
maximum channeling contrast. Adjusting the incident angle of the electron beam is a critical step in ECCI
to optimize channeling contrast during imaging. A careful decision has to be made in the selection of the
operating conditions to detect the channeling effect that make weak contrast in range 2-5% in SEM
image. Due to the low contrast a high threshold beam current is required typically 10 nA to find the
feature of interest when carrying out rapid scanning. Once these features are located then the small
beam diameter is used to get higher resolution at longer frame time and relatively low beam current.
Beam energy in the range of 10-30KeV is used to create channeling contrast. A BSE detector is then used
to collect the signals which carry the channeling contrast (BSE signals). Careful adjustment of the Black
level and the spread of the channeling contrast over the range of the black to white for clear visibility of
the features are required due to the weak contrast. After the collection of the image data, for the post
processing the software like CLAHE in ImageJ-fiji can be used for detailing the final fine scale
requirement.

Figure 3. https://www.mpie.de/3079126/ECCI
Applications:
Electron Channeling and Contrast Imaging finds widespread applications in various scientific and
engineering domains, for example crystallographic analysis can be done by detailed mapping of crystal
orientation, and Material characterization can also be carried out by study of phase transformations and
microstructure analysis. ECCI can also be used in the assessment of crystal quality and defects in
semiconductor materials. Nanostructures and nanomaterial can also be studied by high resolution
images. And in material science it helps to measure the actual orientation of the microstructure.

Advantages and disadvantages:

ECCI is valuable tool in materials science. One of its significant advantages over methods like
transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is that it can be applied to bulk samples with just one free
surface. This means you don't need to thin down your material extensively, making it more accessible
for a variety of samples. Additionally, ECCI provides data from a larger area of the sample, offering a
more comprehensive view of the material's microstructure. However, extracting detailed information
about dislocations, which are defects in the crystal lattice, can be a time-consuming process with ECCI. It
may require careful analysis and interpretation. The success of ECCI is closely tied to the quality of the
sample's surface preparation. The surface needs to be meticulously prepared, similar to what is required
for Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) analyses. This meticulousness is crucial to obtaining clear and
meaningful results. ECCI may not be the ideal technique for materials that are prone to rapid oxidation,
such as magnesium or aluminum alloys. The sensitivity of these materials to oxidation can impact the
effectiveness of ECCI in providing accurate and reliable information.

References:
1. Goldstein, Joseph I., et al. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis. United
States, Springer New York, 2017.
2. https://www.ebsd.com/ebsd-techniques/channeling-contrast-imaging
3. https://ssd.phys.strath.ac.uk/techniques/scanning-electron-microscopy/electron-channelling-
contrast-imaging-ecci/#paperkey_0
4. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Basic-Principles-and-Application-of-Electron-in-a-
Kamaladasa/b678fd2bf57de97f6c7775b779971d7bc8478584
5. https://www.mpie.de/3079126/ECCI