Wavelength Dispersive Spectrometer Background Estimation with SI(LI) Energy Detector

Abstract

Electron probe microanalysis of biological soft tissue canmonly is accomplished with either wavelength dispersive (WD) spectrometers or separately with a Si(Li) energy detector (ED), but rarely with both WD and ED simultaneously. Incompatibility of ED and WD spectrometers, resulting from basic differences in the methods x-rays are detected and identified and the way spectral information is presented to the investigator, makes combining ED and WD operation a difficult task. There also are operational differences that result from the variances in electron beam intensities required or permitted for operation of WD spectrometers and energy detectors. The larger electron beam currents typically used with WD spectrometers often are not tolerated by energy detectors.