A Monte Carlo model was used to simulate specimen-electron beam
interactions relevant to electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD).
Electron trajectories were calculated for a variety of likely experimental
conditions to examine the interaction volume of the incident electrons as
well as that of the subset of incident electrons that emerge from the
specimen, i.e., back-scattered electrons (BSEs). The spatial resolution of
EBSD was investigated as functions of both materials properties, such as
atomic number, atomic weight, and density, and experimental parameters,
such as specimen thickness, tilt, and incident beam accelerating voltage.
These simulations reveal that the achievable spatial resolution in EBSD is
determined by these intrinsic and extrinsic parameters.