Analytical Challenges and Strategies in FE-EPMA

Unquestionably, since their introduction one decade ago, field emission (FE) electron microprobes have pushed the boundaries of electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) by offering new possibilities to characterize smaller features. As with conventional microprobes, the proper selection of the analytical conditions (beam energy, beam current, acquisition time, x-ray line) is essential to obtain an accurate and precise quantification. With FE microprobes, the new challenge is to optimize these parameters to obtain the best spatial resolution. Our previous work [1] has shown that, as each analytical condition has a different influence on the accuracy, precision and spatial resolution, a compromise must be found depending on the characterization goals. In continuation, this work aims at evaluating the influence of instrumental parameters, such as the focusing capability, beam stability and stage reproducibility, on high resolution acquisitions, and proposing strategies to perform reliable and automated measurements.