Utilization of the nuclear energy of the light elements

A study of the protons emitted from certain elements when bombarded by α-particles has yielded valuable information on the structure of the atomic nuclei of light elements. The development of electrical counters for α-particles and protons has provided a method by which the emitted protons can be analysed in a more detailed manner than was possible by the scintillation method. These electrical methods have been applied to the examination of the protons emitted from many elements when bombarded by α-particles. For several elements the absorption curve of these protons reveals the presence of a number of discrete groups of protons each ending at a definite range. It is a found that an α-particle of given energy may give rise to one or more groups of protons, each group corresponding to a transmutation process in which a definite amount of nuclear energy is either absorbed or released. It also appears that α-particles of all energies are not equally effective in producing protons, since the energies of the α-particles which produce protons fall into definite discrete groups. The experimental evidence so far obtained has been co-ordinated by adopting the picture of the nucleus shown in fig. 1.

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Scattering-angle dependence of signal/background ratio of inner-shell electron excitation loss in EELS

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100075701 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. 390-391

Author(s):

T. Oikawa ◽

M. Inoue ◽

T. Honda ◽

Y. Kokubo

Keyword(s):

Energy Loss ◽

Electron Excitation ◽

Heavy Elements ◽

Background Intensity ◽

Light Elements ◽

Energy Analyzer ◽

High Background ◽

Scattering Angle ◽

Angle Dependence ◽

Shell Electron

EELS allows us to make analysis of light elements such as hydrogen to heavy elements of microareas on the specimen. In energy loss spectra, however, elemental signals ride on a high background; therefore, the signal/background (S/B) ratio is very low in EELS. A technique which collects the center beam axial-symmetrically in the scattering angle is generally used to obtain high total intensity. However, the technique collects high background intensity together with elemental signals; therefore, the technique does not improve the S/B ratio. This report presents the experimental results of the S/B ratio measured as a function of the scattering angle and shows the possibility of the S/B ratio being improved in the high scattering angle range.Energy loss spectra have been measured using a JEM-200CX TEM with an energy analyzer ASEA3 at 200 kV.Fig.l shows a typical K-shell electron excitation edge riding on background in an energy loss spectrum.

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Quantitative EPMA of nitrogen : A tricky element in the electron-probe microanalyzer

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100132741 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 1622-1623

Author(s):

G.F. Bastin ◽

H.J.M. Heijligers

Keyword(s):

Background Subtraction ◽

Electron Probe ◽

Detection System ◽

Higher Order ◽

Light Elements ◽

Strong Suppression ◽

Electron Probe Microanalyzer ◽

Quantitative Epma ◽

Peak Count ◽

Lead Stearate

Among the ultra-light elements B, C, N, and O nitrogen is the most difficult element to deal with in the electron probe microanalyzer. This is mainly caused by the severe absorption that N-Kα radiation suffers in carbon which is abundantly present in the detection system (lead-stearate crystal, carbonaceous counter window). As a result the peak-to-background ratios for N-Kα measured with a conventional lead-stearate crystal can attain values well below unity in many binary nitrides . An additional complication can be caused by the presence of interfering higher-order reflections from the metal partner in the nitride specimen; notorious examples are elements such as Zr and Nb. In nitrides containing these elements is is virtually impossible to carry out an accurate background subtraction which becomes increasingly important with lower and lower peak-to-background ratios. The use of a synthetic multilayer crystal such as W/Si (2d-spacing 59.8 Å) can bring significant improvements in terms of both higher peak count rates as well as a strong suppression of higher-order reflections.

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