Improving the Sensitivity of Electron Beam Microanalytical Techniques by Enhanced X-ray Spectrometry: X-ray Microcalorimetry, Silicon Drift Detector Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry, and Polycapillary X-ray Optics

Abstract

The microcalorimeter energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer, the silicon drift detector (SDD), and polycapillary x-ray optics are recent developments that have significantly advanced analytical x-ray spectrometry for electron beam instruments. The microcalorimeter EDS is capable of high resolution operation (∼ 5 eV wide peaks) over a wide range of photon energies (250 eV ∼ 10 keV). The microcalorimeter EDS can be successfully applied to peak interference problems that are not accessible with the conventional semiconductor EDS such as TiN and BaTiO₃. Polycapillary x-ray optics can augment the collection angle of the microcalorimeter EDS to increase its sensitivity. The SDD is capable of extremely high count rates, up to 1 MHz, and is especially useful for high speed x-ray mapping. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2003.130]