X-ray microanalysis in the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM): Small size particles analysis limits

摘要

In this work we will present a study of the effects of some parameters such as pressure and data acquisition duration in EDS microanalysis results. The chamber pressure has been increased from 1 Torr (133 Pa) to 16 Torr (1995 Pa). measurements with times of measurement varying between 180 seconds and 1800 seconds were carried out. Small size particles of iron and silicon are analyzed. The results show that at 1Torr (133 Pa), the primary electron beam can move if the time of measurement is long, which introduces some mistakes in the microanalysis results. Moreover an increase in the chamber pressure induces an amplification of the skirt beam phenomena up to 160 microns. This fact adds some noise coming from the environment around the analyzed particle. We showed that, the displacement of the electron beam during measurement caused a decrease in the iron concentration versus the time of measurement which reachs approximately 15% when the time of measurement is 1800 seconds.