Simultaneous Acquisition of Crystallographic and Elemental Information in the SEM Using Unique On-Axis Detectors

Fastest Simultaneous TKD & EDS Measurements

Bruker’s unique XFlash^® FlatQUAD EDS detector with its ultra-high solid angle of up to 1.1 sr can be used simultaneously with OPTIMUS 2 for the acquisition of maps containing chemical and respectively crystal orientation data from electron transparent samples with unmatched spatial resolution and speed.

Accurate quantitative EDS analysis can be performed using methods designed for electron transparent samples:

Cliff-Lorimer-factor method
Zeta-factor-method

Combined EDS and TKD measurements are ideal for characterizing little known samples containing multiple crystallographic phases, e.g. precipitates and/or inclusions. The combined dataset can be used for offline phase identification and reanalysis with great efficiency gains enabled by ESPRIT 2’s capability of indexing up to 60,000 patterns/sec.

Detector-sample geometry for simultaneous on-axis TKD and EDS mapping using XFlash FlatQUAD EDS detector (top), OPTIMUS 2 detector head (bottom) and TKD sample holder (middle)

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XFlash FlatQUAD EDS detector with its four SDD chips layout and a histogram showing its solid angle variation with the distance between SDD chips and sample

BF-like image acquired from an Oxide Dispersion-Strengthened (ODS) steel sample showing Titanium Oxide particles (bright grey) and Yttrium-rich Titanium Oxide particles (dark grey) in a matrix of Ferrite grains. Image was acquired in 3 s using 5 nA probe current and 20 kV accelerating voltage.

Pattern Quality Map representation of a TKD map acquired simultaneously with an EDS hypermap at a speed of 272 points/sec. The throughput count rate for this measurement was ~1 Mcps.

EDS hypermap showing Ti distribution (normalized atomic%)

EDS hypermap showing Y distribution (normalized mass%)

Final phase distribution map (TKD results) after offline phase ID and reanalysis. Ferrite matrix is shown in red, Titanium Oxide particles are shown in green and Yttrium-rich Titanium Oxide particles are shown in blue.

Orientation distribution map (IPFz) and corresponding coloring scheme for each crystallographic phase