Automated Particle Analysis (Both Morphological and Chemical) in SEM

Computer controlled SEM in connection with image processing and EDX-spectrometry enables the unattended determination of both the geometrical parameters and the chemical composition of thousands of individual particles. Consequently, correlations between particle size, chemical compositon, the number of different compounds and their contribution to the overall concentration can be established. Further applications: determination of the area percent values of phases (total, spatial distribution) in multiphase specimens problems arise in connection with specimen preparation, optimization of the image contrast, the sometimes inhomogeneous composition of particles, shadowing of the X-rays in case of large particles and the lack of a rigorous ZAF correction procedure for particles of arbitrary shape.