EDS Elemental Mapping using AZtecLive

Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) is the routine technique used in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for chemical analysis. Among the various tools available for EDS in AZtec software, elemental mapping is the most used tool to provide a quick, comprehensive analysis of a sample. Mapping displays the X-ray data as individual elemental images for different energy ranges or using advanced processing like TruMap for element deconvolution and background removal.

Nowadays, with the improved throughput and sensitivity of EDS detectors, EDS mapping results are obtained in seconds, on both the micro- and nano-scale. It automatically identifies the elements present and shows exactly where they are in the scanned area of the sample, and can also provide the element concentrations. Over the years many tools have been developed and added to the AZtecLive software to help users understand the data and to deliver the best results under various experimental conditions.

In this tutorial, you will learn about the different settings and tools for elemental mapping and when and how to use them to get the best results.

You will learn how:

• How to make the best use of EDS mapping to investigate your samples  
• Understand the different settings available in AZtecLive and how they can be optimized to help getting the best results 
• How to use the different tools to overcome experimental challenges, such as sample drift)