IMPROVED, PARAMETERLESS, CONSTANT-CURRENT METHOD FOR ABSORPTION CORRECTION IN QUANTITATIVE EDX MICROANALYSIS IN THE TEM

Based on the parameterless constant-current method for absorption corr ection introduced by Horita and co-workers Ultramicroscopy 21 (1987) 271! a new procedure for the data evaluation is outlined. This method does not require the simplification that all X-rays are generated in t he middle of the foil (usually adopted by Horita et al.) and minimizes the number of background subtractions for the acquired spectra. Anoth er method is briefly discussed which allows one to carry out absorptio n correction by recording spectra from the same specimen area but diff erent tilt angles. This method, in contrast to a similar procedure des cribed by Horita, does not require a constant-current mode of the micr oscope.