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Electron backscatter diffraction determines crystallographic information from electron diffraction patterns recorded in a scanning electron microscope. A scanned electron beam strikes a crystalline specimen, and the detector records backscattered-electron diffraction patterns. Their band geometry can be indexed against a crystal model to estimate local orientation and identify compatible phases.^[ref]

Repeating the measurement across a surface produces an orientation map that can reveal crystal grains, boundaries and changes associated with deformation or recrystallisation. Preparation and pattern quality matter: a map records successfully indexed information, so poor surface quality or an unsuitable structural model can create missing or misleading assignments. It complements chemical analysis rather than directly reporting elemental composition.