A filtering method to reveal crystalline patterns from atom probe microscopy desorption maps

A filtering method to reveal the crystallographic information present in Atom Probe Microscopy (APM) data is presented. The method filters atoms based on the time difference between their evaporation and the evaporation of the previous atom. Since this time difference correlates with the location and the local structure of the evaporating atoms on the surface, it can be used to reveal any crystallographic information contained within APM data. The demonstration of this method is illustrated on: • A pure Al specimen for which crystallographic poles are clearly visible on the desorption patterns easily indexed. • Three Fe-15at.% Cr datasets where crystallographic patterns are less obvious and require this filtering method.