Influence of different correction models on investigations of carbonaceous insulating films by electron beam X-ray microanalysis

Normally quantitative investigations of insulators by electron beam X-ray microanalysis are made possible by coating special samples with thin evaporated carbon films. This, however, will fail if the samples themselves contain carbon as polysilastyrene {(CH₃)₂Si]_x (CH₃)C₆H₅Si}_n, which is used for the preparation of silicon carbide. Samples of polysilastyrene, together with reference layers (pure silicon) were investigated using different equipment (JEOL, CAMECA) and with varying correction procedures (ZAF, PAP). Compared with the results of reference measurements (elementary analysis, NMR) it appears that the PAP correction procedure is better suited for solving this problem than the classical ZAF correction procedure.