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Statistical Considerations in Microanalysis by Energy-Dispersive Spectrometry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2005

Eric Lifshin ,
Necip Doganaksoy ,
Jane Sirois  and
Raynald Gauvin
Eric Lifshin
Affiliation:
General Electric Corporate Research and Development, Room 2A18, Building K-1, Schenectady, NY 12301
Necip Doganaksoy
Affiliation:
General Electric Corporate Research and Development, Room 2A18, Building K-1, Schenectady, NY 12301
Jane Sirois
Affiliation:
Canadian Conservation Institute, 1030 Innes Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0M5
Raynald Gauvin
Affiliation:
University de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
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Abstract

X-ray counting statistics plays a key role in establishing confidence limits in composition determination by X-ray microanalysis. The process starts with measurements of intensity on one or more samples and standards as well as related background determinations. Since each individual measurement is subject to variability associated with counting statistics, it is necessary to combine all of the counting variability according to established mathematical procedures. The next step is to apply propagation of error calculations to equations for quantitative analysis and determine confidence limits in reported composition. Similar concepts can also be applied to trace element determination. This approach can then be combined with spectral simulation modeling, making it possible to predict detectability limits without additional measurements.

Keywords

energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS)precisionaccuracytrace analysisquantitative analysisX-ray spectral modelingX-ray counting statistics
Type
1998 TOPICAL SYMPOSIUM OF THE MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 4 , Issue 6 , December 1998 , pp. 598 - 604
Copyright
© 2005 Microscopy Society of America

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