Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 July 2020
Quantitative X-Ray microanalysis is a well established technique for the chemical analysis of homogeneous materials having a flat surface. Precision better than 2% can be routinely obtained if the analysis is performed used the so called ZAF where standards of known composition must be used for all the elements presents in the system under analysis. However, real materials have generally different phases and their composition in a specific phase is not necessary homogeneous. Also, real materials may have surfaces that are not flat and where it is inappropriate to polish them, like a fractured or a corroded surface. It is therefore of paramount importance to develop quantitative schemes for such materials. The first step is to understand the shape of the φ(ρz) curves of heterogeneous materials. This paper present some of these curves that have been obtained with the Monte Carlo program CASINO available for free at www.gme.usherb.ca/casino.