News
24.01.2014
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Dr. Xavier Llovet, responsible of the Electron Microprobe Technology, has published the article “Low-Voltage Electron-Probe Microanalysis of Fe-Si Compounds using Soft X-Rays” at the review Microscopy and Microanalysis. The abstract of the article: "Conventional electron-probe microanalysis has an X-ray analytical spatial resolution on the order of 1–4 µm width/depth. Many of the naturally occurring Fe–Si compounds analyzed in this study are smaller than 1 µmin size,requiring the use of lower accelerating potentials and nonstandard X-ray lines for analysis. Problems with the use of low-energy X-ray lines (soft X-rays) of iron for quantitative analyses are discussed and a review is given of the alternative X-ray lines that may be used for iron at or below 5 keV (i.e. accelerating voltage that allows analysis of areas of interest < 1 µm). Problems include increased sensitivity to surface effects for soft X-rays, peak shifts (induced by chemical bonding, differential self-absorption, and/or build up of carbon contamination),uncertainties in the mass attenuation coefficient for X-ray lines near absorption edges,and issues with spectral resolution and countrates from theavailableBraggdiffractors.Inadditiontotheresults from the traditionally used Fe Lα line, alternative approaches, utilizing Fe Lβ, and Fe Ll-η lines, are discussed.." | |