Energy dispersive X-ray analysis on an absolute scale in scanning transmission electron microscopy

Z Chen; A J D'Alfonso; M Weyland; D J Taplin; L J Allen; S D Findlay

doi:10.1016/j.ultramic.2015.05.010

Energy dispersive X-ray analysis on an absolute scale in scanning transmission electron microscopy

Ultramicroscopy. 2015 Oct:157:21-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2015.05.010. Epub 2015 May 14.

Authors

Z Chen¹, A J D'Alfonso², M Weyland³, D J Taplin¹, L J Allen², S D Findlay⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
² School of Physics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
³ Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
⁴ School of Physics and Astronomy, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia. Electronic address: scott.findlay@monash.edu.

PMID: 26004522
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2015.05.010

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.

Keywords: Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy; Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM).

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't