Course Meeting Times
Lectures: 2 sessions / week for 2 weeks, 4 hours / session
Description
The electron microprobe provides a complete micrometer-scale quantitative chemical analysis of inorganic solids. The method is nondestructive and utilizes characteristic X-rays excited by an electron beam incident on a flat surface of the sample. This course provides an introduction to the theory of X-ray microanalysis through wavelength and energy dispersive spectrometry (WDS and EDS), ZAF matrix correction procedures and scanning electron imaging with back-scattered electron (BSE), secondary electron (SE), X-ray using WDS or EDS (elemental mapping), and cathodoluminescence (CL). Lab sessions involve hands-on use of the JEOL JXA-8200 Superprobe.
Prerequisites
Permission of instructor.
Syllabus
Theory of X-ray Spectrometry
- Electron-specimen interactions
- Elastic scattering: Electron backscattering
- Inelastic scattering: Secondary electron excitation, Cathodoluminescence, Continuum X-ray generation, Characteristic X-ray generation
- Interaction volume
- Matrix corrections
- Atomic number, Absorption and Characteristic fluorescence corrections
- Continuum fluorescence correction
- φ(ρz) corrections
Instrumentation
- Detectors in the electron microprobe
- Electron detectors: Everhart-Thornley and Solid-state diode detectors
- Cathodoluminescence detector
- X-ray detectors: Energy dispersive and Wavelength dispersive spectrometers
- Analyzing crystals and proportional counters in WDS
Imaging Techniques
- Compositional and topographic imaging
- Elemental X-ray mapping
- Cathodoluminescence imaging
Quantitative Analysis
- Sample preparation
- Wavelength dispersive spectrometry
- Background and peak overlap corrections
Recommended Textbook
Goldstein, J. I., D. E. Newbury, et al. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-ray Microanalysis. 3rd ed. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2003. ISBN: 9780306472923.
Grading
The basis for the grade is completion of all the lab exercises (problem sets) and the quiz.