title: Energy dispersive X-ray analysis on an absolute scale in scanning transmission electron microscopy.
abstract: We demonstrate absolute scale agreement between the number of X-ray counts in energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy using an atomic-scale coherent electron probe and first-principles simulations. Scan-averaged spectra were collected across a range of thicknesses with precisely determined and controlled microscope parameters. Ionization cross-sections were calculated using the quantum excitation of phonons model, incorporating dynamical (multiple) electron scattering, which is seen to be important even for very thin specimens.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: D'Alfonso
authors.affiliation: Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weyland
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Taplin
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia. Electronic address: scott.findlay@monash.edu.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Findlay
keywords: Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy; Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)