Theoretical and Experimental X-Ray Peak/Background Ratios and Implications for Energy-Dispersive Spectrometry in the Next-Generation Analytical Electron Microscope

Abstract Modern analytical electron microscopes equipped with silicon drift detectors now allow for a wide range of geometrical configurations capable of performing quantitative X-ray spectrometry. Recent work has improved the collection solid angles of these detectors, however, the impact of increasing the solid angle on detection sensitivity as measured by the peak/background ratio has not been addressed. This work compares theoretical and experimental peak/background ratios for incident electron energies in the range of 20–200 keV, with X-ray detectors in both conventional orientations (on the electron entrance surface) as well as new geometries (the electron exit surface). The implications of these parameters on detectability limits for the next generations of “Lab-in-the-Gap” analytical microscope are also considered. It was found that theoretical calculations of the angular distribution of bremsstrahlung and their effects on the peak/background ratio match well with experimental measurements, and indicate that new geometries which can result in large solid angles provided an added benefit in addition to increased characteristic signal, namely increased sensitivity for the analyst.