The determination of the efficiency of energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers by a new reference material.
A calibration procedure for the detection efficiency of energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS) used in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for standardless electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) is presented. The procedure is based on the comparison of X-ray spectra from a reference material (RM) measured with the EDS to be calibrated and a reference EDS. The RM is certified by the line intensities in the X-ray spectrum recorded with a reference EDS and by its composition. The calibration of the reference EDS is performed using synchrotron radiation at the radiometry laboratory of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. Measurement of RM spectra and comparison of the specified line intensities enables a rapid efficiency calibration on most SEMs. The article reports on studies to prepare such a RM and on EDS calibration and proposes a methodology that could be implemented in current spectrometer software to enable the calibration with a minimum of operator assistance.
Alvisi
Marco
M
ENEA, Research Centre of Brindisi, Brindisi, Italy.
Blome
Markus
M
Griepentrog
Michael
M
Hodoroaba
Vasile-Dan
VD
Karduck
Peter
P
Mostert
Marco
M
Nacucchi
Michele
M
Procop
Mathias
M
Rohde
Martin
M
Scholze
Frank
F
Statham
Peter
P
Terborg
Ralf
R
Thiot
Jean-Francois
JF