Electron Probe X-Ray Spectral Analysis of Nanoparticles

Abstract

Two approaches to improving the resolution of electron-probe x-ray spectral microanalysis of the nano-particle composition are considered. The first approach is based on the use of low (less than 5 keV) energy of the probe electrons and characteristic radiation of the detected elements as analytical x-ray lines of L- and M-series. The second approach is based on the use of a part of the analytical signal attributed only to excitation by probe electrons. The lateral and longitudinal resolution thus attained are about 2 nm and 20 - 60 nm, respectively, the minimum detectable mass of the substance corresponds to 10-30 atoms of the elements to be determined.