Interest in electron-excited x-ray microanalysis is potentially even greater in the variable pressure (VPSEM) and environmental scanning electron microscopes (ESEM) where dynamic chemical experiments can be conducted.
For the VPSEM pressure range (10 Pa and 100 Pa) x-ray absorption by the gas phase is not a significant effect, being only about 6 % for F K x rays, which are strongly absorbed by oxygen.
What is the influence of the skirt on electron imaging and x-ray spectrometry performed in the VPSEM and ESEM?
In the VPSEM, the inelastic scattering of beam and backscattered electrons with gas atoms creates free electrons and positive ions.