Auger Microprobe Analysis

This book describes the principles and development of the Auger method and the background information necessary for an understanding of the subject.

Auger electron spectroscopy is rapidly developing into the single most powerful analytical technique in basic and applied science.for investigating the chemical and structural properties of solids. Its ex plosive growth beginning in 1967 was triggered by the development of Auger analyzers capable of de tecting one atom layer of material in a fraction of a second. Continued growth was guaranteed firstly by the commercial availability of apparatus which combined the capabilities of scanning electron mi croscopy and ion-mill depth profiling with Auger analysis, and secondly by the increasing need to know the atomistics of many processes in fundamental research and engineering applications. The expanding use of Auger analysis was accompanied by an increase in the number of publications dealing with it. Because of the developing nature of Auger spectroscopy, the articles have appeared in many different sources covering diverse disciplines, so that it is extremely difficult to discover just what has or has not been subjected to Auger analysis. In this situation, a comprehensive bibliography is obviou-sly useful to those both inside and outside the field. For those in the field, this bibliography should be a wonderful time saver for locating certain references, in researching a particular topic, or when considering various aspects of instrumentation or data analysis. This bibliography not only provides the most complete listing of references pertinent to surface Auger analysis available today, but it is also a basis for extrapolating from past trends to future expectations.

This supplement of Mikrochimica Acta contains selected papers from the Fifth Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on "Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis" which th th took place from the 11 to 15 May 1997 in Torquay (UK). EMAS was founded in 1986 by scientists from many European countries in order to stimulate research in microbe am analysis and into its development and application. The society now has over 350 members from more than 20 countries. An important EMAS activity is the organisation of biennial workshops which focus upon the current status and developing trends in microanalytical techniques. For this meeting EMAS chose to invite speakers on the following subjects: Standardless analysis, EPMA techniques for quantitative near-surface analysis and depth profiling, Matrix corrections in Auger electron and X-ray photon spectroscopy, X-ray analysis and imaging using low voltage beams, Scanning probe and near field microscopies, EPMA of frozen biological bulk samples, Environmen tal SEM and X-ray microanalysis of biological materials, Quantitative elemental mapping of X-ray radiographs by factorial correspondence, X-ray spectrum processing and multivariate analysis, Thin film analysis and chemical mapping in the analytical electron microscope, Wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, High resolution non dispersive X-ray spectroscopy with state-of-the-art silicon detectors and Recent developments in instrumentation for X-ray analysis. These invited lectures were given by eminent scientists from Europe, the USA, and Australia In addition to the introductory lectures there were poster sessions at which some 110 posters were on display.

Originally published in 2005, this book covers the closely related techniques of electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) specifically from a geological viewpoint. Topics discussed include: principles of electron-target interactions, electron beam instrumentation, X-ray spectrometry, general principles of SEM image formation, production of X-ray 'maps' showing elemental distributions, procedures for qualitative and quantitative X-ray analysis (both energy-dispersive and wavelength-dispersive), the use of both 'true' electron microprobes and SEMs fitted with X-ray spectrometers, and practical matters such as sample preparation and treatment of results. Throughout, there is an emphasis on geological aspects not mentioned in similar books aimed at a more general readership. The book avoids unnecessary technical detail in order to be easily accessible, and forms a comprehensive text on EMPA and SEM for geological postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, as well as those working in industrial laboratories.