X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy of uranium ore using a TES microcalorimeter mounted on a field-emission scanning electron microscope

Energy dispersive spectroscopic measurements of uranium ore were conducted using a superconducting phase transition-edge-thermosensor (TES) microcalorimeter mounted on a field-emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) to demonstrate its potential for high-precision microanalysis. The effective solid angle for X-ray detection is found to be larger than 2 msr by precise adjustments in the X-ray polycapillary alignment. The observed detection signal pulses with decay time constant of 50 mu s enable maximum count rates larger than 300 counts per second. The energy resolution was determined to be 14.6 eV FWHM at Al K(alpha) X-ray energies of 1487 eV. Distinct peaks appear in the resulting X-ra y energy spectrum associated with U-M(alpha), U-M(beta) and U-M(gamma) X-rays emitted by the uranium ore specimens. This spectrum includes weaker peaks corresponding to C-K(alpha), Fe-L(alpha), Cu-L and Sr L (alpha 1) X rays. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.