EPMA mapping method for small particles of Al3Fe, Al 6Fe, α-AlFeSi and β-AlFeSi in 1050-H18 aluminum sheets

Abstract

We developed an EPMA mapping method for small AlaFe bSic particles in 1050-H18 aluminum sheet, which is one of the base materials coated by photoresist in advance called PS plate (pre-sensitized printing plate). In this method, we used the ratios of relative x-ray intensities, IFe/ISi and IFe/I Si instead of the mass ratios, Fe/Al and Fe/Si, of the main elements which constitute the particles and tried to determine the ratios of relative x-ray intensities using Monte Carlo calculations. Furthermore, using this developed mapping method, we performed the mapping of small Al aFebSic particles such as Al3Fe (0-3%Si as impurities), Al6Fe (0-1%Si as impurities), α-AlFeSi(Al8.3Fe2Si) and β-AlFeSi(Al 8.9Fe2Si2) in 1050-H18 aluminum sheets. We found that the discrimination of these particles was achieved with this mapping method. We confirmed that this method is useful for the mapping of Al aFeb,Sic particles in 1050-H18 aluminum sheets. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.