Modification of Shielded EPMA from JEOL JXA-8230

Y.H. Jung1,S.J. Baik, S.B. Ahn

Irradiated Materials Examination Facility, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute,

Deokjin-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-353, Korea

*Corresponding author. E-mail : nyhjung@kaeri.re.kr

Electron Microscopy is widely used in post-irradiation examinations for material characterizations. The most common methods are Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA). KAERI has operated for more than 20 years a shielded EPMA CAMECA SX-SX50R for the surface examination of irradiated specimens. This method allows the characterization of a sample surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and both the high-resolution elemental composition and its spatial distribution by wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This instrument has been replaced this year by a standard JEOL JXA-8230 EPMA, which has now been modified to enable the investigation of highly Radioactive samples including fuel rods segments. This induces a different arrangement of the electronics for remote control and the addition of a tungsten alloy shielding both at the specimen stage and between the spectrometers and specimen chamber. The objective of the acquisition of this new instrument is to widen the scope of the investigations from polished specimens to fractography samples and to enhance the SEM and X-ray resolution.

Keyword: Shielded-EPMA, Modification, CAMECA SX-50R, JEOL JXA-8230R