Detection limits of high temperature superconducting materials on various substrates by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence and proton induced X-ray emission methods

Abstract

Application of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) methods has been demonstrated for determining the elemental composition of thin film superconducting materials. The results of analysis carried out by EDXRF method have been compared with those obtained by PIXE method. Thin films of YBa2Cu3O7 superconducting material were deposited on various substrates such as thin mylar sheet and thick substrates of SrTiO3, MgO and Al2O3. In thin backing the minimum detection limits obtained for Cu, Y, Ba by the PIXE method are 20 ng, 70 ng and 800 ng respectively and the corresponding values by the EDXRF method are 3000 ng, 600 ng and 1000 ng. Detection limits for samples on thick backings deteriorated to a large extent by both methods.