Optimisation of EDS quantitative f-ratio method via ZAF correction

Abstract

This study investigates the f-ratio quantitative method applicable to Cold Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope/Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (CFE-SEM/EDS) systems. To address the issue of cumbersome calculations arising from the reliance on real-time simulation in traditional f-ratio methods, this study proposes an efficient strategy of ‘preset curve + ZAF correction’. This method employs pre-constructed ‘f-ratio vs. concentration’ models for individual elements derived from standard samples to substitute the traditional real-time simulation of the unknown sample, and introduces ZAF factors to effectively compensate for matrix effects, thereby achieving quantitative analysis of unknown samples with matrix differences. An iterative approach was implemented to resolve the challenge of determining the absorption parameter ($\chi$), which arises due to the unknown concentration of the unknown sample. F-ratio models were established based on the P–In, As–Ga, S–Zn, Se–Cd, and S–Fe systems. Quantitative f-ratio analysis was subsequently performed on the binary system As–In and Se–Zn, as well as the ternary system S–As–Fe. The results demonstrate that the ZAF correction f-ratio method achieves satisfactory precision.