The f(χ) Machine: An Experimental Bench for the Measurement of Electron Probe Parameters

In routine electron probe analysis involving sample targets that are electron opaque, flat, and conductive, the mechanisms describing the interaction of the beam electrons with the target atoms and the subsequent x-ray generation, absorption, and detection are well known. Various correction procedures are currently available for routine quantitative analysis that offer accuracies of 2 percent relative, as determined from studies of well-characterized, homogeneous standards [1].