Mikroanalyse

MikroAnalyse refers to the practice of determining a material’s chemical composition and microstructural features at micrometer to nanometer scales. It brings together high-resolution imaging and localized analytical measurements to identify phases, impurities, and elemental distributions within small regions of a sample.

Techniques commonly used in MikroAnalyse include scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), electron probe microanalysis with wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy (EPMA/WDS) and EDS, transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS) or electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), and, in some contexts, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) for crystallography-related information. The choice of method depends on required spatial resolution, detection limits, and the type of information sought.

Typical workflow includes preparing a representative sample, acquiring complementary images to locate regions of interest, performing targeted point, line, or area analyses, and calibrating measurements with standards to obtain quantitative or semi-quantitative results. Output often consists of elemental maps, phase identifications, compositional profiles, and microstructural correlations. Data interpretation may require corrections for matrix effects and consideration of potential beam-induced changes during analysis.

MikroAnalyse is applied across fields such as metallurgy and materials science, geology and mineralogy, electronics and semiconductors, ceramics, and cultural heritage conservation. It enables detailed material characterization, quality control, failure analysis, and fundamental studies of phase transformations and diffusion. Limitations include potential specimen damage, charging effects, and the need for careful calibration and interpretation to address matrix effects and detection limits.