On the right screen, click on the following icon in order to launch the program for EDS analysis.
You must start up SEM application before starting EDS application. Don’t forget to switch off the infrared camera.
Once you have launched the analysis station, Bias is applied to the EDS detector, the following programs start and the respective icons appear on the task bar.
Analyzer Manager SSM bias SSM dead time SSM probe tracking SEM monitor
The basic windows of analysis open after the double click on Analysis station. Start Up ssm probe tracking ssm dead time ssm bias SEM monitor Analyser manager
SEM condition: Accelerating voltage: 15kV, current: 20 µA, probe current 8 or 9, WD = 8mm
SSM rate meter:
SSM counting rate : 2000-7000 cps Dead time 20 – 40 %
Tip: if dead time and/or counts are too low, increase PC gradually.
Press on Cond in the basic windows in order to define the acquisition conditions.
SPECTRUM ACQUISITION
Acquisition conditions must be defined as followed: Pha mode : T3 (high resolution)
Preset : live time
Preset value : 100-300 secs
Tip : the number of counts for the time of acquisition must be round 200000. The more counts you have, the better the precision of the quantitative analysis will be.
X-ray mapping
o Pha mode : T3 (high resolution) o 512*384
o Preset number of scan o Dwell time : 0.1msec
Image
o Resolution : 1024x768 o Preset : 1 Frame
Before image acquisition via Analysis program, check and adjust focus and astigmatism in LM or SEM mode.
Once image has been acquired, Acquire a spectrum.
Samples and images-spectrum and mappings of samples can be arranged as in windows explorer. Acquire image for analysis
Acquisition conditions have already been defined; simply press on the Spc icon
A new window with the spectrum acquisition of the defined area (area of the picture) will open. Acquire a spectrum
Via the sequential acquisition button you are able to make EDX acquisition with different patterns such as points, lines, and squares.
Sequential acquisition en
You can identify peaks by different ways
1. Automatic peak identification
By clicking on the ‘qual’ icon, automatic peak identification will be performed, a periodic table will open and identified elements will appear in pink in the table.
If ROI (region of interest) is ON, reference peaks of each present element will appear in green. Identification of peaks
2. Peak by peak identification
By double clicking on a peak in the spectrum windows, a screen will pop up and give you proposition about the detected element based on the characteristic X-ray energy and transition line. You can there register the atom for the selected peak.
3. Identification via the periodic table
If you click on this icon, a periodic table will open. In this table, you can select atoms you want to quantify.
Atoms in pink are those who will be taken into account by the system for the quantification.
Tip: if you want to exclude some element from the quantification, push on ‘No Qnt’ and select elements you want to exclude from quantification. These elements will appear in green on the periodic table.
Important: As the analysis system is working in standard less mode, it is important to check all the elements present on the spectra and then to decide on which ones you want to make the quantification.
A click on the ‘Quant’ button will open a screen with the results of the quantification of elements (in mass % and atoms %)
A click on ‘map’ will result in the opening of a new window with data about the collected x-ray of the selected elements.
During the same time, another window will also open with spectrum acquisition.
Once mapping is finished, you can use the different function mentioned hereunder to customize the view.
By using this function, you can superpose image take via analysis station and mapping of desired element. You can superpose up to 4 pictures.
Elemental mapping
Selected image or mapping
By using this function, you can see the amount of counts (x-rays) on a determined line or linear zone (view perpendicular to the normal mapping)
Line profile example
Line or linear zone selection example Can be modified by moving the blue arrow
Result can also be seen on the mapping by clicking on ‘overlay’ in the line profile window
Spectrum export
In order to export a spectrum, go to the spectrum view, click on the print preview button
You now see a page with the image, the spectrum and the quantitative analysis (if done)
You can now export this view to word or power point. Select the one you will and save the exported file.
For export of multiple analysis (points, line, zone); select all the analysis, left click and select show compare.
A page with all the spectrum of the selected analysis (*.eds file) will appear. Then do the same for export as for one point.
EDX mapping export
Open the desired mapping by clicking on a *.MAP file. A window with the mapping of selected atoms will appear. Then in the left part of the screen, select the mapping of the atoms you want to export.
Go now to file, print preview and the mapping will be displayed with smile viewer.
