- Electron microprobe
An electron microprobe (EMP), also known as an electron probe microanalyser (EPMA) is an analytical tool used to non-destructively determine the chemical composition of small volumes of solid materials. It works similarly to a
scanning electron microscope , in which the sample is bombarded with anelectron beam and signals that come from the sample are collected. This enables the elements present within sample volumes of 10-30 cubicmicrometre s or less to be determined.Wittry, David B. (1958). "Electron Probe Microanalyzer", [http://www.google.co.uk/patents?id=g7tMAAAAEBAJ&d US Patent No 2916621] , Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.] Elements fromboron toplutonium can be quantitatively analysed at levels as low as 100parts per million (ppm).History
Development of the electron microprobe was preceded by that of the closely related analytical technique of
X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). This technique was first proposed byGeorg von Hevesy in 1923 and applied by other workers in the following few years.In 1944, MIT built an electron microprobe, combining an electron microscope and an
energy-loss spectrometer . Electron energy-loss spectrometry is very good for light element analysis and they obtained spectra of C-Kα, N-Kα and O-Kα radiation. In 1947, Hiller patented the idea of using an electron beam to produce analytical X-rays, but never constructed a working model. His design proposed usingBragg diffraction from a flat crystal to select specific X-ray wavelengths and a photographic plate as a detector.In 1948-1950, Raymond Castaing, supervised by
André Guinier , built the first electron “microsonde électronique” (electron microprobe) at the University of Paris. This microprobe produced an electron beam diameter of 1-3 μm with a beam current of ~10 nanoamperes (nA) and used a Geiger counter to detect the X-rays produced from the sample. However, the Geiger counter could not distinguish X-rays produced from specific elements and in 1950, Castaing added aquartz crystal between the sample and the detector to permit wavelength discrimination. He also added an optical microscope to view the point of beam impact. The resulting microprobe was described in Castaing's 1951 Ph.D. thesis, in which he laid the foundations of the theory and application of quantitative analysis by electron microprobe, establishing the theoretical framework for the matrix corrections of absorption and fluorescence effects. Castaing (1921-1999) is considered the "father" of electron microprobe analysis.Cameca (France) produced the first commercial microprobe, the “MS85,” in 1956. It was soon followed by many microprobes from other companies; however, all companies except Cameca and
JEOL , are now out of business. In addition, many researchers build electron microprobes in their labs. Significant subsequent improvements and modifications to microprobes included scanning the electron beam to make X-ray maps (1960), the addition of solid state EDS detectors (1968) and the development of synthetic multilayer diffracting crystals for analysis of light elements (1984).Process
Low-energy electrons are produced from a tungsten filament cathode and accelerated by a positively biased
anode plate to 10 to 30 thousandelectron volts (keV). The anode plate has central aperture and electrons that pass through it are collimated and focused by a series of magnetic lenses and apertures. The resulting approximately 1 micrometre diameter electron beam may be rastered across the sample or used in spot mode to excite various effects from the sample. Among these are:phonon excitation (heat),cathodoluminescence (visible light fluorescence), continuum X-ray radiation (bremsstrahlung ), characteristic X-ray radiation, secondary electrons (plasmon production), backscattered electron production, andAuger electron production.The characteristic X-rays are used for chemical analysis. Specific X-ray wavelengths are selected and counted, either by wave-length dispersive spectrometry (WDS) or
energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). WDS utilizes Bragg diffraction from crystals to select X-ray wavelengths of interest and direct them to gas-flow or sealed proportional detectors. In contrast, EDS uses a solid statesemiconductor detector to accumulate X-rays of all wavelengths produced from the sample.Chemical composition is determined by comparing the intensities of characteristic X-rays from the sample material with intensities from known composition (standards). Count from the sample must be corrected for
matrix effect s (absorption and secondaryfluorescence ) to yield chemical compositions. The resulting chemical information is gathered in textural context. Variations in chemical composition within a material (zoning), such as a mineral grain or metal, can be readily determined.ee also
*
Electron microscope
*Electron spectroscopy References
External links
* [http://earth.es.huji.ac.il/machon/e-prob/prob.html Electron Probe Laboratory, Hebrew University of Jerusalem] - web page of a lab describing their modern EPMA
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