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Methods of Quantitative Electron Probe Analysis*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

David B. Wittry
David B. Wittry*
Affiliation:
University of Southern California Los Angeles, California
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Abstract

Methods of quantitative electron probe analysis using empirical working curves have achieved only partial success because of variations in instrument design, analysis conditions, and homogeneity of standards. These problems have been solved for X-ray fluorescence analysis, but many of the more successful empirical methods cannot be used in electron probe analysis; instead, a more theoretical approach is indicated. In electron probe analysis quantitative results can be achieved with only pure elements as standards provided (1) the analysis conditions are carefully selected, (2) the observed intensities can be corrected to obtain the primary intensity actually produced in the specimen, and (3) the relationship of the primary intensity and concentration can be calculated. While present methods of making some of the corrections required improvement and a “universal” theory for relating the primary X-ray intensities to the concentrations still does not exist, the success achieved with this approach indicates that it should be used to the fullest extent before resorting to calibration curves. Moreover, as information is accumulated, the number of cases requiring the use of calibration curves should diminish, so that eventually it may be possible to perform quantitative analysis in any system with only pure elements as standards,

Type
Research Article
Information
Advances in X-Ray Analysis , Volume 7: Twelfth Annual Conference on Applications of X-ray Analysis, August 7-9, 1963 , 1963 , pp. 395 - 418
Copyright
Copyright © International Centre for Diffraction Data 1963

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Footnotes

*

This work was supported in part by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under grant No. AF—AFOSR—76—63. Reprinted with permission of the American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Symposium on X-ray and Electron Probe Analysis, Special Technical Publication 349. This paper was presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of ASTM.

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