Burdet P, Croxall SA, Midgley PA. Enhanced quantification for 3D SEM-EDS: using the full set of available X-ray lines.
Ultramicroscopy 2014;
148:158-167. [PMID:
25461593 PMCID:
PMC4266451 DOI:
10.1016/j.ultramic.2014.10.010]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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.
3D SEM–EDS mapping of structures smaller than the X-ray generation volume is considered.
The influence of neighbouring voxels is corrected by a recursive quantification method.
The method is improved using all available X-ray lines.
The method is applied to simulated spectra and experimental dual beam FIB/SEM data.
The method is shown to improve both compositional accuracy and spatial resolution.
Collapse