Navigation to sections:

The Microanalysis System

What makes a Good Detector?

The Pulse Processor

Links in this section:

Manganese resolution
Low energy resolution
Fluorine resolution
Incomplete charge collection
Carbon resolution
Fe55 source
Changes with time
Geometry
Summary

What makes a good detector: Summary

• The EDS detector converts the energy of a single X-ray photon into a step of proportional size on a voltage ramp using a semiconductor crystal and FET-preamplifier

• Good analytical performance requires good resolution at low energies

•  Mn resolution (5.9keV) does not give a reliable indication of resolution at low energies because it is insensitive to ICC and does not separate noise and detector material components.

• F resolution (0.7keV) is more sensitive to low energy noise and is a better guide to low energy performance

• C resolution accounts for noise and is very sensitive to incomplete charge collection. An excellent resolution at carbon implies good resolution at all energies

• The collection efficiency of X-rays is determined by the collection solid angle, not the area of the crystal

Back