Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy
Outputs from EDS analysis
Spectrum
Spectrum: a plot of the number of X-rays detected versus their energies. Characteristic X-rays form peaks superimposed on Bremsstrahlung X-rays. The Characteristic X-rays allow the elements present in the sample to be identified.
Map
Map: an image showing how the concentration of one element varies over an area of a sample. In this example, red colours indicate higher concentrations and blue colours reflect lower concentrations.
Quantitative analysis
Quantitative analysis: concentrations of major and minor elements (weight percentages) in different phases in the sample can be calculated by comparison with standard reference materials.