Basic literacy in electron-excited x-ray microanalysis

Abstract

Electron beam x-ray microanalysis with energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDS), as performed in electron probe microanalyzers (EPMA)/scanning electron microscopes (SEM) for thick specimens and analytical electron microscopes (AEM) for thin sections, is a powerful technique with wide applicability in the physical and biological sciences and technology communities. The operation of an EDS x-ray microanalysis system has been automated to the point that many users now consider EDS to be a routine tool where the results reported by the automation system are always correct Unfortunately, there are numerous pitfalls awaiting the unwary analyst. All EDS users require a basic level of literacy in x-ray microanalysis to properly interpret spectra and develop a sensible analysis strategy for their problems. This “basic literacy” includes knowledge of the factors controlling the efficiency of production of characteristic and continuum x-rays, the characteristic energies and structure of x-ray families that provide the basis for qualitative analysis, the operational characteristics of energy dispersive x-ray spectrometers, including artifacts, and the systematic procedures for qualitative and quantitative analysis.