Light element detection

Historically, EELS is one of the oldest spectroscopic techniques based ancillary to the transmission electron microscope. In the early 1940s the principle of atomic level excitation for light element detection capability was demonstrated by using EELS to measure C, N, and O. Unfortunately, at that time the instruments were limited by detection capabilities (film) and extremely poor vacuum levels, which caused severe contamination of the specimens. Twenty-five years later the experimental technique was revived with the advent of modern instrumentation. The basis for quantification and its development as an analytical tool followed in the mid 1970s. Recent reviews can be found in the works by Joy, Maher and Silcox " Colliex and the excellent books by Raether and Egerton. ... 

VPD-TXRF is also a facile technique for interface analysis [4.78, 4.79]. Automated VPD equipment (Fig. 4.16) improves both the detection limit (upper range 10 atoms cm ) and the reliability (by > 50%) of the VPD-TXRF measurement [4.14]. Current research focuses on sample holders [4.80, 4.81] and light-element detection capability [4.82-4.84]. 

In practice, in both light element detection and structure analysis is usually enough precise measurement of < 50-100 reflections to have accurate picture of the crystal structure, though in X-Ray several himdred of reflections have to be measured. ... 

Mass determination by back scattered protons or STIM, light element detection by nuclear complementary techniques, e.g., back scattering (C,N,0), photon tagged nuclear reaction analysis, pNRA for detection of B, Li, Na... 

Both the electron column and the adjacent spectrometer are highly evacuated, a circumstance that improves light element detectability. With a crystal spectrometer all elements down to boron (Z = 5) can be detected. 

Light element analysis (min. atomic number) 4 4 Both have ability for light element detection providing windowless or polymer window used... 

General Mainly appUed for hydrogen, simultaneous profiles of all elements accessible depth range 1 pm light elements detectable on heavy substrates... 

The detectable limits for a dispersion apparatus are a few g-g/g, and vary according to the environment around from a few pg/g for heavy elements in light matrices to a few mg/g for light elements. 

Forward recoil spectrometry (FRS) [33], also known as elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA), is fiindamentally the same as RBS with the incident ion hitting the nucleus of one of the atoms in the sample in an elastic collision. In this case, however, the recoiling nucleus is detected, not the scattered incident ion. RBS and FRS are near-perfect complementary teclmiques, with RBS sensitive to high-Z elements, especially in the presence of low-Z elements. In contrast, FRS is sensitive to light elements and is used routinely in the detection of Ft at sensitivities not attainable with other techniques [M]- As the teclmique is also based on an incoming ion that is slowed down on its inward path and an outgoing nucleus that is slowed down in a similar fashion, depth infonuation is obtained for the elements detected. 

Although x-rays probe inner rather than valence electrons, in light elements the chemical state of the emitting atom may affect inner-shell energies enough to be detected at high resolution. Thus the K d lines of sulfur at 0.537 nm shift by 0.3 pm between the oxidation states and. ... 

TOF detector systems usually have smaller solid angles and sensitivity than AF - E systems, because of the long TOF system in front of the energy detector and the limited size of the stop detector. They also have worse detection limits for very light elements (hydrogen), because of the low probability of obtaining start and stop signals for particles of very low atomic number [3.172]. 

Since then, TXRE has become the standard tool for surface and subsurface microanalysis [4.7-4.11]. In 1983 Becker reported the angular dependence of X-ray fluorescence intensities in the range of total reflection [4.12]. Recent demands have set the pace of further development in the field of TXRE - improved detection limits [4.13] in combination with subtle surface preparation techniques [4.14, 4.15], analyte concentrations extended even to ultratraces (pg) of light elements, e. g. A1 [4.16], spe-dation of different chemical states [4.17], and novel optical arrangements [4.18] and X-ray sources [4.19, 4.20]. 

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