Version 1
: Received: 18 January 2021 / Approved: 19 January 2021 / Online: 19 January 2021 (13:20:53 CET)
How to cite:
Buenger, J.; Richter, S.; Torrilhon, M. A Model for Characteristic X-Ray Emission in Electron Probe Microanalysis based on the Spherical Harmonic (PN) Method for Electron Transport. Preprints2021, 2021010380. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202101.0380.v1
Buenger, J.; Richter, S.; Torrilhon, M. A Model for Characteristic X-Ray Emission in Electron Probe Microanalysis based on the Spherical Harmonic (PN) Method for Electron Transport. Preprints 2021, 2021010380. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202101.0380.v1
Buenger, J.; Richter, S.; Torrilhon, M. A Model for Characteristic X-Ray Emission in Electron Probe Microanalysis based on the Spherical Harmonic (PN) Method for Electron Transport. Preprints2021, 2021010380. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202101.0380.v1
APA Style
Buenger, J., Richter, S., & Torrilhon, M. (2021). A Model for Characteristic X-Ray Emission in Electron Probe Microanalysis based on the Spherical Harmonic (PN) Method for Electron Transport. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202101.0380.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Buenger, J., Silvia Richter and Manuel Torrilhon. 2021 "A Model for Characteristic X-Ray Emission in Electron Probe Microanalysis based on the Spherical Harmonic (PN) Method for Electron Transport" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202101.0380.v1
Abstract
Classical k-ratio models, e.g. ZAF and phi(rho z), used in electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) assume a homogeneous or multi-layered material structure, which essentially limits the spatial resolution of EPMA to the size of the interaction volume where characteristic x-rays are produced. We present a new model for characteristic x-ray emission that avoids assumptions on the material structure to not restrict the resolution of EPMA a-priori. Our model bases on the spherical harmonic (PN) approximation of the Boltzmann equation for electron transport in continuous slowing down approximation. PN models have a simple structure, are hierarchical in accuracy and well-suited for efficient adjoint-based gradient computation, which makes our model a promising alternative to classical models in terms of improving the resolution of EPMA in the future. We present results of various test cases including a comparison of the PN model to a minimum entropy moment model as well as Monte-Carlo (MC) trajectory sampling, a comparison of PN-based k-ratios to k-ratios obtained with MC, a comparison with experimental data of electron backscattering yields as well as a comparison of PN and Monte-Carlo based on characteristic X-ray generation in a three-dimensional material probe with fine structures.
Keywords
EPMA; deterministic electron transport; k-ratio; moment method; spherical harmonic (PN) approximation; characteristic X-Ray emission
Subject
Chemistry and Materials Science, Biomaterials
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.