Quantitative Electron Probe Microanalysis of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O High Tc Superconductors Using Energy- and Wavelength-Dispersive Spectrometry

Abstract

Abstract: Multiple linear least squares (MLLSQ) and sequential simplex spectral processing procedures were used in an electron probe energy-dispersive (EDS) analysis of a 2223 Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) high Tc superconductor specimen. This phase is normally difficult to quantify by EDS at voltages below 25 kV because of the severe overlap of the BiM lines with the M lines from a small amount of Pb that is added to the phase for stability. Quantitative results from the MLLSQ spectral processing and ZAF matrix correction procedures agreed well with wavelength-dispersive analysis (WDS) of the same specimen.