SEM-EDS
EDS

The scanning electron microscope (SEM) allows for qualitative and quantitative examination of the composition of a wide variety of materials. A fast and precise method for this is the use of an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), which enables us to extract elemental composition information from the sample under investigation on a sub-µm scale. The method allows us to perform point measurements, area measurements, line measurements and create elemental maps of the surface of the sample under investigation. The examination is non-destructive. The essence of the EDS method: the atoms of the sample excited by a focused electron beam emit characteristic X-ray radiation in the form of X-ray photons, which radiation has properties characteristic of the given element. The composition of the given material can be determined from the number of hits and characteristic energy levels reaching the semiconductor surface of the EDS detector. The resolution of the energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) is defined for the peak of Mn Kα (5.9 keV) to be 125 to 140 eV. Detector types: JEOL EX-74760U1LQ EDS, Bruker Quantax Esprit Core XFlash®7 EDS Investigable materials: ceramics, metal objects, plants, bones, textiles, polymers, pigments, glasses, geological materials, industrial materials, etc. Application Examples: Metal objects - Analysis of the composition of various metal objects provides insights into their original material composition, potential corrosion, or patina on the surface. - Further data analysis can help determine the origin of the raw materials. Glasses, enamels, and paints - Inclusions of a few micrometers in glass and enamel can be examined, which can provide information about the production technique and raw materials. Rocks - In addition to elemental analysis, phase identification can also be performed and the spatial distribution of different mineral phases can be quantified. This analysis also allows the determination of the modal composition of the rock at the micrometer scale, using up to four different methods (EDS, WDS, CL, BSE). Ceramics - Analysis of the composition of ceramic objects provides valuable information on the provenance of raw materials (clay and temper) used for potting and on potters’ technological choices.

Scanning electron microscopy with thermionic emission gun (sem)

Elemental Analysis

1.0