Unsupported Films

Abstract. Quantitative analysis can be done very accurately with the aid of computer programs based on an accurate description of the amount of X-rays generated at each depth within the specimen. These models have achieved such performance that thin layers and even multilayers can also be analyzed. In this article the next step in the development is described: the analysis of unsupported films. This technique isvery well applicable in both the electron microprobe and the transmission electron microscope, but in the latter case hardware adjust-ments might be necessary. Key words: q)(pz) curves, thin films, transmission electron microscopy, quantita-tive analysis. In the last two decades the development ofmore and more sophisticated computer programs for electron probe microanalysis has progressed rapidly. The widespread availability of fast and user-friendly computers, combined with the need for more reliable results, has produced a whole new generation of analysis programs capable of handling even the most difficult cases