Premium
Determination of conditions for optimum resolution of a high angle thin window energy dispersive spectrometer
Author(s) -
Blackford Mark G.,
Smith Katherine L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.1070220208
Subject(s) - spectrometer , resolution (logic) , optics , detector , bremsstrahlung , materials science , window (computing) , energy (signal processing) , electron , analytical chemistry (journal) , physics , chemistry , nuclear physics , photon , chromatography , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , operating system
The energy resolution of an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) equipped with an ultrathin window (UTW) and mounted at a high take‐off angle (72°) on a transmission electron microscope has been studied under a variety of operating conditions. The spectrometer resolution is close to that specified by the manufacturer, up to count rates of 400 cps. Above 400 cps the resolution deteriorates rapidly, and the MCA dead time and zero width increase. Above 10 ke V, the height of the background is much greater than expected for bremsstrahlung and shows the shape which has previously been attributed to backscattered electron flux into the detector. It is postulated that the deterioration in resolution with count rate is caused by backscattered electrons reaching the detector through the UTW. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.