Fig. 4 represents a mechanical cross-section through the effect
coating imaged by SEM. Here we get the side view of the particles in order to estimate the
thicknesses and more importantly the two-dimensional angular particle inclination with respect to
the surface normal. N() is close to a Gaussian with a standard deviation of less than 10°. Fig. 5a
depicts the SEM view of the marked coatings area (volume enclosed between both crosses under
the metal protection bar) to be analyzed by X-ray CT. The crosses are identified then in the X-ray
CT images as shown in fig. 5b (for X-ray CT principles see the scheme in fig. 6). The measured
and reconstructed ensemble of the effect particles in the volume is given in fig. 5. Along the line
between both crosses a TEM lamella was prepared using FIB technique. One of the cross-sections
is shown in fig. 8a as an X-ray CT section, in fig. 8b as a SEM – and in fig. 8c as a TEM – cross-
section image. There is not a full correspondence between the pictures due to the different depth of
analyzing, which is much bigger in X-ray CT than in TEM.