title: Enhanced quantification for 3D SEM-EDS: using the full set of available X-ray lines.
abstract: An enhanced method to quantify energy dispersive spectra recorded in 3D with a scanning electron microscope (3D SEM-EDS) has been previously demonstrated. This paper presents an extension of this method using all the available X-ray lines generated by the beam. The extended method benefits from using high energy lines, that are more accurately quantified, and from using soft X-rays that are highly absorbed and thus more surface sensitive. The data used to assess the method are acquired with a dual beam FIB/SEM investigating a multi-element Ni-based superalloy. A high accelerating voltage, needed to excite the highest energy X-ray line, results in two available X-ray lines for several elements. The method shows an improved compositional quantification as well as an improved spatial resolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Charles Babbage Road 27, Cambridge, CB3 0FS Cambridgeshire, UK. Electronic address: pb565@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Burdet
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Charles Babbage Road 27, Cambridge, CB3 0FS Cambridgeshire, UK.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Croxall
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Charles Babbage Road 27, Cambridge, CB3 0FS Cambridgeshire, UK.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Midgley
keywords: 3D chemical analysis; 3D image analysis; 3D microanalysis; Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry; Focused ion beam; Quantification; Tomographic spectral imaging