| Abstract Scope |
New techniques in optical microscopy can quantify microstructure at exceptionally high rates, exceeding 40,000 pps, also reducing sample-preparation overhead relative to electron microscopy. This data rate, including image processing, is demonstrated by c-axis imaging of titanium alloys, utilizing a laser-based ellipsometric polarized-light microscope (EPLM) (CrystalView(TM)) with 5um spatial resolution. Reduced sample preparation is proven with a 3"x5" Ti64 plate that was electropolished. Credentials for high quality, quantitative, and actionable microstructural data are then demonstrated, first by seamless stitching to obtain c-axis images over several square inches, without loss of resolution, then custom grain segmentation that eliminates optical non-linearities near grain boundaries. Further examples highlight large-area grain statistics (LAGS) of HCP and cubic alloys, the latter following chemical etching. The unique capability of EPLM, compared to traditional PLM, to map orientation over the complete hemisphere is demonstrated diagrammatically and experimentally, offering more complete crystallographic characterization for downstream computational analysis and modeling. |