The technique of electron backscattering patterns, also called backsca
tter Kikuchi diffraction, for local crystallography in the scanning el
ectron microscope is briefly introduced. Four examples of applications
are presented: (i) phase analysis of a glass ceramic; (ii) texture an
alysis of a PbZr0.53Ti0.47O3 layer on Si(100)/SiO2/Ti/Pt; (iii) strain
analysis of an Si0.66Ge0.34 layer on Si(100) and (iv) damage analysis
of Si(100) implanted with 70 keV Ge ions. It is concluded that electr
on backscattering patterns provide various types of crystallographic i
nformation, in principle on a submicron lateral scale, while retaining
the specific advantages of scanning electron microscopy: little or no
sample preparation and the possibility of linking diffraction informa
tion with morphological and compositional information also obtainable
in the scanning electron microscope.