High spatial resolution microanalysis in the analytical electron microscope: A tutorial
High spatial resolution x-ray microanalysis in the analytical electron microscope (AEM) describes a technique by which chemical composition can be determined on spatial scales of less than 50 nm. Dependent upon the size of the incident probe, the energy (voltage) of the beam, the average atomic number of the material being analyzed, and the thickness of the specimens at the point of analysis it is possible to measure uniquely the composition of a region 2--20 nm in diameter. Conventional thermionic (tungsten or LaB{sub 6}) AEMs can attain direct spatial resolutions as small as 20 nm, while field emission (FEG) AEM's can attain direct spatial resolutions approaching 2 nm. Recently, efforts have been underway to extract compositional information on a finer spatial scale by using massively parallel Monte Carlo electron trajectory simulations coupled with AEM measurements. By deconvolving the measured concentration profile with the calculated x-ray generation profile it is possible to extract compositional information at near atomic resolution.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5151984
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-92-0603C; CONF-920819--5; ON: DE92010958
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
664300 -- Atomic & Molecular Physics-- Collision Phenomena-- (1992-)
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200 -- Mathematics & Computers
ALLOYS
BEAMS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM BASE ALLOYS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
IRON ALLOYS
LEPTON BEAMS
MICROSCOPES
MICROSCOPY
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NICKEL ALLOYS
PARALLEL PROCESSING
PARTICLE BEAMS
PROGRAMMING
RESOLUTION
SCATTERING
SPATIAL RESOLUTION