X-Ray Chemical Analysis of an YBa2Cu3Ox Thin Film by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Total-Reflection-Angle X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-TRAXS)

Scanning electron microscopy and total-reflection-angle X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-TRAXS) were applied to X-ray chemical analysis of a 1000 Å-thick YBa₂Cu₃O_x (YBCO) film on an MgO substrate. The intensity of the characteristic X-rays emitted from the YBCO thin film varied as a function of the take-off angle (θ_t) with respect to the film surface. The intensity of higher-energy X-rays of BaL lines and CuK lines was almost constant against the θ_t over the wide range of 0°-30°, but that of lower-energy X-rays of YL_α, CuL_α and OK_α lines depends strongly on the θ_t up to 10°, and then slightly increases with the θ_t.