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 μ 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 α X-ray energies of 1487 eV. Distinct peaks appear in the resulting X-ra y energy spectrum associated with U ‐ M α , U ‐ M β and U ‐ M γ X-rays emitted by the uranium ore specimens. This spectrum includes weaker peaks corresponding to C ‐ K α , Fe ‐ L α , Cu-L and Sr L α 1 X rays.