DETERMINATION OF THE SOLUBILITY OF CERIUM IN BATIO3 BY QUANTITATIVE WDS ELECTRON-PROBE MICROANALYSIS

Quantitative wavelength dispersive X-ray microanalysis was applied for determination of Ba, Ti and Ce concentrations in Ce-doped BaTiO3 cera mics. There are rare cases in wavelength dispersive analysis where the most intense X-ray lines of the analyzed elements overlap. Such is th e case when analyzing matrices containing Ba and Ce, where multiple ov erlap of CeL alpha(1,2) and BaL beta(1.4) lines is present. Two indepe ndent simplified methods were applied to evaluate this Ce-Ba peak over lap in order to obtain true k-ratios for Ce in BaTiO3: the calibration curve method and the reference spectra fitting method. The experiment al conditions of an electron probe microanalyzer were optimized to ach ieve improved sensitivity and precision of analysis. Pure CeO2 and BaT iO3 were chosen as standards. K-ratios were corrected by the ZAF matri x correction procedure. Results were calculated for the perovskite ABO (3) formula considering different modes of dopant incorporation and do nor charge compensation.