Electron microprobe

An electron microprobe measures elemental composition in microscopic regions by detecting characteristic X-rays emitted when a focused electron beam excites a sample.

Electron beam: A stream of electrons accelerated and focused into a beam. Its focused electrons excite atoms within the selected microscopic region.
Electron microscopy: Microscopy that forms images or measurements using a beam of electrons. The microprobe shares electron-beam optics with this broader family of instruments.
Mineralogy: The study of minerals, including their composition, structure, properties, and formation. Mineral analysis is a central use of electron microprobes.
Transmission electron microscope: An electron microscope that transmits electrons through thin specimens to reveal internal structure. It prioritizes nanoscale imaging and diffraction rather than routine quantitative X-ray analysis.
Characteristic X-ray: An X-ray whose energy identifies the element that emitted it. These element-specific photons provide the probe’s primary analytical signal.
Scanning electron microscope: An electron microscope that scans a focused beam across a specimen surface. Its scanning and imaging capabilities are often combined with microprobe analysis.
Petrography: The description and classification of rocks through their mineral content and textures. Microprobe compositions help identify minerals and interpret rock-forming processes.
Electron energy-loss spectroscopy: A technique that measures energy lost by electrons transmitted through a thin specimen. It provides elemental and bonding information through electron-energy changes, not emitted characteristic X-rays.
Wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy: An X-ray analysis method that separates photons by wavelength using a crystal spectrometer. Many microprobes use wavelength dispersion to distinguish closely spaced X-ray lines.
X-ray spectroscopy: The study of materials through the energies or wavelengths of emitted or absorbed X-rays. Electron microprobe analysis is one specialized form of X-ray spectroscopy.

Linked from 8 pages