Grazing-exit electron probe X-ray microanalysis of ultra-thin films and single particles with high-angle resolution

Ultra-thin metallic films, artificial particles and aerosols were analyzed by grazing-exit electron probe X-ray microanalysis (GE-EPMA). It is beneficial to measure the characteristic intensity emitted from these specimens at very small exit angles. Such an approach reduces the high background originated from the substrate. The reduction of background X-rays is very important for thin film analysis. Therefore, it is shown that GE-EPMA is a powerful tool for localized analysis of thin-films and the surface of the sample. It is also found that GE-EPMA solves the problem of the overlapping of X-ray lines emitted from the substrate and the particle or the aerosol. Performing the measurement of the characteristic radiation from the particle under grazing exit conditions allows particles smaller than the electron beam diameter to be analyzed. Thus any limitations of the electron beam size can be removed.