Quantitative Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis of sub-micrometric particles using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

The quantitative scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray ~SEM-EDX! analysis of a horneblende and two augite prismatic samples reduced to submicrometric particles was performed, and error due to the particle effects ~“absent mass” and the “reduced absorption” effect! was minimized. Correction factors as a function of fragment size were obtained for O, Na, Mg, Si, Ca, and Fe. In addition, the influence of chemical composition of the samples used as standards ~the matrix effect! on correction factors was evaluated. The results indicate that the absent mass effect is dominant for all elements except for the light elements O and Na, for which the reduced absorption effect is dominant. No significant matrix effect has been observed. By using corrected SEM-EDX data, the error on quantification of the element concentration has been estimated to be 3% relative for light elements and below 2% relative for heavy elements ~notably, about 1% relative for Fe!.