METHOD FOR DETECTING AN ELEMENT IN A SAMPLE

摘要

The invention relates to a method for detecting an element in a sample. First, an transmission electron microscope is used to measure a first image of the intensities I1p of the sample at an energy loss in front of the element edge. This is followed by a second image of the intensities I2'p of the sample at an energy loss in the range of the element edge. To determine the background, at various points in a comparator sample which does not contain the element intensity I1 is determined at an energy loss in front of the element edge, after which intensity I2 is determined at an energy loss in the range of the element edge. From these values an approximation function I2 (I1) is calculated so that an image of the pure element-specific intensities IE can be calculated, by calculating for each point of the first image of intensity I1p the corresponding intensity I2p using the approximation function. For the corresponding point of the second image the difference between the measured intensity I2'p and calculated intensity I2p is determined as the element-specific intensity IE.