The Determination of the Efficiency of Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectrometers by a New Reference Material

A calibration procedure for the detection efficiency of energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS) used in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for standardless electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) is presented. The procedure is based on the comparison of X-ray spectra from a referenc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microscopy and microanalysis 2006-10, Vol.12 (5), p.406-415
Main Authors: Alvisi, Marco, Blome, Markus, Griepentrog, Michael, Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan, Karduck, Peter, Mostert, Marco, Nacucchi, Michele, Procop, Mathias, Rohde, Martin, Scholze, Frank, Statham, Peter, Terborg, Ralf, Thiot, Jean-Francois
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Calibration
Electron microscopes
Energy efficiency
MICROANALYSIS
Phase transitions
Research methodology
Spectrometers
Thin films
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Summary:A calibration procedure for the detection efficiency of energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS) used in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for standardless electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) is presented. The procedure is based on the comparison of X-ray spectra from a reference material (RM) measured with the EDS to be calibrated and a reference EDS. The RM is certified by the line intensities in the X-ray spectrum recorded with a reference EDS and by its composition. The calibration of the reference EDS is performed using synchrotron radiation at the radiometry laboratory of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. Measurement of RM spectra and comparison of the specified line intensities enables a rapid efficiency calibration on most SEMs. The article reports on studies to prepare such a RM and on EDS calibration and proposes a methodology that could be implemented in current spectrometer software to enable the calibration with a minimum of operator assistance.
ISSN:1431-9276
1435-8115
DOI:10.1017/S1431927606060557