• Applied Microscopy
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.164-166
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• 2016

Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) is a powerful analyzing tool for identifying lattice defects like dislocations and twin boundaries. By using diffraction-based scanning electron microscopy technique, it enables microstructure analysis, which is comparable to that obtained by transmission electron microscopy that is mostly used in defect analysis. In this report, the optimal conditions for investigating crystal defects are suggested. We could obtain the best ECCI images when both acceleration voltage and probe current are high (30 kV and 20 nA). Also, shortening the working distance (6 mm) enhances the quality of defect imaging.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.130-131
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• 2018

Electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) is one of the imaging techniques in scanning electron microscopy based on a variation in electron backscattering yield depending on the direction of the primary electron beam with respect to the crystal lattice. The ECCI provides not only observation of the distribution of individual grains and grain boundaries but also identification of the defects such as dislocations, twins, and stacking faults. The ECCI at the interface between recrystallized and deformed region of shot peening treated nickel clearly demonstrates the microstructural evolution during the recrystallization including original grain boundaries, and thus can provide better insight into the recrystallization behavior.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.237-246
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• 2024

In this study, hydrogen embrittlement was investigated for 316L stainless steel (SS316L) and CoCrFeNi medium-entropy alloy (MEA) fabricated by laser-powder bed fusion. The in-situ hydrogen charging tensile tests revealed that the reduction in ductility due to hydrogen was more significant in the CoCrFeNi MEA, compared to the SS316L. In the case of SS316L, hydrogen-assisted cracks (HACs) were observed mainly on the surface, whereas in CoCrFeNi, cracks were found not only at the edges but also in the central region. HACs analysis confirmed that transgranular (TG) cracks were predominant in SS316L, whereas only intergranular cracks were formed in the CoCrFeNi MEA. The difference in hydrogen embrittlement resistance between SS316L and CoCrFeNi was discussed in terms of the differences in deformation microstructure and hydrogen diffusivity, as investigated through electron channeling contrast imaging and nanoindentation.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.909-915
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• 2021

GaAs on Si grown via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is demonstrated using various Si substrate thicknesses and three types of dislocation filter layers (DFLs). The bowing was used to measure wafer-scale characteristics. The surface morphology and electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) were used to analyze the material quality of GaAs films. Only 3-㎛ bowing was observed using the 725-㎛-thick Si substrate. The bowing shows similar levels among the samples with DFLs, indicating that the Si substrate thickness mostly determines the bowing. According to the surface morphology and ECCI results, the compressive strained indium gallium arsenide/GaAs DFLs show an atomically flat surface with a root mean square value of 1.288 nm and minimum threading dislocation density (TDD) value of 2.4×10⁷ cm^-2. For lattice-matched DFLs, the indium gallium phosphide/GaAs DFLs are more effective in reducing the TDD than aluminum gallium arsenide/GaAs DFLs. Finally, we found that the strained DFLs can block propagate TDD effectively. The strained DFLs on the 725-㎛-thick Si substrate can be used for the large-scale integration of GaAs on Si with less bowing and low TDD.