Quantitative Evaluation of the Crystallinity of Grain Boundaries in Nano Scale

通过分析EBSD分析中获得的菊池线的质量，提出了一种评价晶界结晶度的新方法。该方法可以通过图像质量（IQ）和置信度（CI）来评价多孔和脆性晶界。IQ值和CI值都是根据从EBSD分析期间电子束穿透的区域获得的菊池图案的观察结果计算的参数。结果表明，低IQ值和低CI值的局部区域对应于多孔晶界。这些值的变化对应于薄膜的力学和电学性能的变化。因此，晶界的质量可以通过使用IQ和CI值的组合来评估，因此，该方法对于评估晶界的结晶度以及多晶薄膜的机械和电性能的变化是有效的。

A novel evaluation method of the crystallinity of grain boundaries was proposed by analyzing the quality of Kikuchi lines obtained from the conventional EBSD analysis. This method can evaluate the porous and brittle grain boundaries by IQ (Image Quality) and CI (Confidence Index). Both IQ and CI values are the parameters which are calculated from the observed result of the Kikuchi pattern obtained from the area where electron beams penetrate during EBSD analysis. It was found that the local areas with low IQ value and low CI value correspond to porous grain boundaries. The change of these values corresponded to the changes of mechanical and electrical properties of thin films. Therefore, the quality of grain boundaries can be evaluated by using the proposed combination of the IQ and CI values clearly, and thus, this method is effective for evaluating the crystallinity of grain boundaries and thus, the change of mechanical and electrical properties of the polycrystalline thin films.