Gatan and EDAX bring together the OnPointTM Backscatter Electron Detector and the Octane Elite Super EDS System to create a superior light element (Z < 4) detection system, critical for Li detection in battery materials. The once elusive microscale spatial distribution of Li can now be visualized and quantified with detection limits of <5 wt% Li in the SEM with an error margin of approximately 1 wt%. Researchers from The Austrian Institute of Technology and The Gatan Applications Team have utilized this combination of advanced detectors and created a data processing workflow that allows for the qBSE and EDS signals to be subtracted to create weighted compositional maps of Li battery materials (see the Figure below).
Fig 1. Secondary electron image and elemental metal fraction maps (by wt. %) of the same region of the MgLiAl alloy; white pixels are regions excluded from the analysis due to the influence of topography (identified by arrows in the secondary electron image) shown here for clarity. Figure from the latest Gatan Experiment Brief.
For a full description of the composition by difference method and the results achievable using the Gatan and EDAX detector combination highlighted above, click here to read the research paper.
Soquelec is a proud Canadian partner of Gatan, the leading instrument manufacture offering revolutionary technologies including high performance detection cameras, analytical holders, and elite sample preparation tools. The recent coupling of the Gatan OnPointTM Backscatter Electron Detector, which provides unprecedented signal to noise ratio and sensitivity to light element materials and the state of the art EDAX Octane Elite Super EDS System optimized for light element detection significantly contributed in this monumental stride in Li battery research
For additional information on the OnPointTM Backscatter Electron Detector, click here.
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