title: Combined energy detector-wavelength dispersive spectrometer electron probe microanalysis of biological soft tissue samples.
abstract: A Si(Li)energy detector has been coupled with a fully automated, four wavelength dispersive spectrometer electron probe microanalyzer for analysis of freeze-dried, plastic-embedded biological tissue samples. Through the use of a suitable absorber, the unwanted portion of the energy spectrum is suppressed, thus reducing overall counting rate in the energy detector to the point where it is possible to use electron beam currents with high intensities, typical of wavelength dispersive spectrometer operation, while using the configuration of highest energy detector solid angle available in our electron probe microanalyzer. The electron probe automation software has been extended to permit control of the energy detector simultaneously with control of the electron microprobe. A software stopwatch permits accurate compensation for differences between energy detector and wavelength spectrometer dead times. A region of continuum in the energy spectrum is calibrated against background for the spectrometers to provide a different number representing background for each spectrometer. This background information is provided simultaneously with on-peak data collection by treating each region of interest from the Si(Li) energy detector spectrum as an additional data line in the electron probe microanalyzer computer automation package.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001322:Autoanalysis; D003201:Computers; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005612:Freeze Drying; D009132:Muscles / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats