Uncertainty in quantitative electron probe microanalysis

Abstract

Quantitative electron probe analysis is based on models based on the physics or x-ray generation, empirically adjusted to the analyses of specimens of known composition. Their accuracy can be estimated by applying them to a set of specimens of presumably well-known composition.

Uncertainty Estimates for Electron Probe X-ray Microanalysis Measurements

“…Other authors have taken complementary approaches when considering this problem. In a series of papers, Heinrich and Yakowitz − investigated the dependence of EPMA results on model parameters. While these authors provided useful insights regarding selection of the takeoff angle and the beam energy, their application of propagation of uncertainty led to a conclusion with which our paper disagrees: “except for the atomic number correction, compensation of errors from specimen to standard is almost always negligible.”…”