“…Therefore, the few percent differences between the present simulated F values and the modified Reed’s model are expectable in view of all the approximations involved in both the original and corrected algorithms. It is worth emphasizing that in the most sensitive case of 1% Fe, these differences would imply a correction of 500 ppm (0.05%). Figure 1 Comparison of the present Monte Carlo simulation for the fluorescence correction factor with the modified Reed’s model of Venosta & Castellano (2013) for an electron beam energy of 15 keV as a function of Fe mass concentration.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 95%
“…The predicted fluorescence enhancement bears the expected behavior as a function of the concentration of the element of interest. This is exemplified in Figure 1, in which the F results for NSPLIT=100 are compared with the prediction of the corrected Reed’s model of Venosta & Castellano (2013). As shown in this reference, the original Reed’s model provides an 11% overestimation in the fluorescence correction factor by assigning 100% K α yield.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Comparison of the present Monte Carlo simulation for the fluorescence correction factor with the modified Reed’s model of Venosta & Castellano (2013) for an electron beam energy of 15 keV as a function of Fe mass concentration.…”
Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) is based on the comparison of characteristic intensities induced by monoenergetic electrons. When the electron beam ionizes inner atomic shells and these ionizations cause the emission of characteristic X-rays, secondary fluorescence can occur, originating from ionizations induced by X-ray photons produced by the primary electron interactions. As detectors are unable to distinguish the origin of these characteristic X-rays, Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport becomes a determinant tool in the study of this fluorescence enhancement. In this work, characteristic secondary fluorescence enhancement in EPMA has been studied by using the splitting routines offered by PENELOPE 2008 as a variance reduction alternative. This approach is controlled by a single parameter NSPLIT, which represents the desired number of X-ray photon replicas. The dependence of the uncertainties associated with secondary intensities on NSPLIT was studied as a function of the accelerating voltage and the sample composition in a simple binary alloy in which this effect becomes relevant. The achieved efficiencies for the simulated secondary intensities bear a remarkable improvement when increasing the NSPLIT parameter; although in most cases an NSPLIT value of 100 is sufficient, some less likely enhancements may require stronger splitting in order to increase the efficiency associated with the simulation of secondary intensities.
“…Therefore, the few percent differences between the present simulated F values and the modified Reed’s model are expectable in view of all the approximations involved in both the original and corrected algorithms. It is worth emphasizing that in the most sensitive case of 1% Fe, these differences would imply a correction of 500 ppm (0.05%). Figure 1 Comparison of the present Monte Carlo simulation for the fluorescence correction factor with the modified Reed’s model of Venosta & Castellano (2013) for an electron beam energy of 15 keV as a function of Fe mass concentration.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 95%
“…The predicted fluorescence enhancement bears the expected behavior as a function of the concentration of the element of interest. This is exemplified in Figure 1, in which the F results for NSPLIT=100 are compared with the prediction of the corrected Reed’s model of Venosta & Castellano (2013). As shown in this reference, the original Reed’s model provides an 11% overestimation in the fluorescence correction factor by assigning 100% K α yield.…”
Section: Resultsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Comparison of the present Monte Carlo simulation for the fluorescence correction factor with the modified Reed’s model of Venosta & Castellano (2013) for an electron beam energy of 15 keV as a function of Fe mass concentration.…”
Electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) is based on the comparison of characteristic intensities induced by monoenergetic electrons. When the electron beam ionizes inner atomic shells and these ionizations cause the emission of characteristic X-rays, secondary fluorescence can occur, originating from ionizations induced by X-ray photons produced by the primary electron interactions. As detectors are unable to distinguish the origin of these characteristic X-rays, Monte Carlo simulation of radiation transport becomes a determinant tool in the study of this fluorescence enhancement. In this work, characteristic secondary fluorescence enhancement in EPMA has been studied by using the splitting routines offered by PENELOPE 2008 as a variance reduction alternative. This approach is controlled by a single parameter NSPLIT, which represents the desired number of X-ray photon replicas. The dependence of the uncertainties associated with secondary intensities on NSPLIT was studied as a function of the accelerating voltage and the sample composition in a simple binary alloy in which this effect becomes relevant. The achieved efficiencies for the simulated secondary intensities bear a remarkable improvement when increasing the NSPLIT parameter; although in most cases an NSPLIT value of 100 is sufficient, some less likely enhancements may require stronger splitting in order to increase the efficiency associated with the simulation of secondary intensities.
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