A wide range of X-ray detectors and geometries are available today on transmission/scanning transmission analytical electron microscopes. While there have been numerous reports of their individual performance, no single experimentally reproducible metric has been proposed as a basis of comparison between the systems. In this paper, we detail modeling, experimental procedures, measurements, and specimens which can be used to provide a manufacturer-independent assessment of the performance of an analytical system. Using these protocols, the geometrical collection efficiency, system peaks, and minimum detection limits can be independently assessed and can be used to determine the best conditions to conduct modern hyperspectral and/or spectrally resolved tomographic analyses for an individual instrument. A simple analytical formula and specimen is presented which after suitable system calibrations can be used to experimentally determine the X-ray detector solid angle.

Closed form analytical equations used to calculate the collection solid angle of six common geometries of solid-state X-ray detectors in scanning and scanning/transmission analytical electron microscopy are presented. Using these formulae one can make realistic comparisons of the merits of the different detector geometries in modern electron column instruments. This work updates earlier formulations and adds new detector configurations.

With the advent of silicon drift X-ray detectors, a range of new geometries has become possible in electron optical columns. Because of their compact size, these detectors can potentially achieve high geometrical collection efficiencies; however, using traditional approximations detector solid angle calculations rapidly break down and at times can yield nonphysical values. In this article we present generalized formulas that can be used to calculate the variation in detection solid angle for contemporary Si(Li) as well as new silicon drift configurations.