X-ray fluorescence microscopy artefacts in elemental maps of topologically complex samples: Analytical observations, simulation and a map correction method

• XRF maps of topological complex samples can exhibit elemental distribution artefacts.
• A detector response simulation provided insights on the nature of the XRF artefacts.
• A correction method improved the elemental maps of the examined Human HEK293T cells.

XRF spectroscopy is among the most widely used non-destructive techniques for elemental analysis. Despite the known angular dependence of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), topological artefacts remain an unresolved issue when using X-ray micro- or nano-probes. In this work we investigate the origin of the artefacts in XRF imaging of topologically complex samples, which are unresolved problems in studies of organic matter due to the limited travel distances of low energy XRF emission from the light elements. In particular we mapped Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK293T) cells. The exemplary results with biological samples, obtained with a soft X-ray scanning microscope installed at a synchrotron facility were used for testing a mathematical model based on detector response simulations, and for proposing an artefact correction method based on directional derivatives. Despite the peculiar and specific application, the methodology can be easily extended to hard X-rays and to set-ups with multi-array detector systems when the dimensions of surface reliefs are in the order of the probing beam size.