Embracing Uncertainty: Modeling the Standard Uncertainty in Electron Probe Microanalysis-Part I.

This is the first in a series of articles which present a new framework for computing the standard uncertainty in electron excited X-ray microanalysis measurements. This article will discuss the framework and apply it to a handful of simple, but useful, subcomponents of the larger problem. Subsequent articles will handle more complex aspects of the measurement model. The result will be a framework in which sophisticated and practical models of the uncertainty for real-world measurements. It will include many long overlooked contributions like surface roughness and coating thickness. The result provides more than just error bars for our measurements. It also provides a framework for measurement optimization and, ultimately, the development of an expert system to guide both the novice and expert to design more effective measurement protocols.