Performing X-ray analysis on a sample in an SEM used to be relatively straightforward. Straightforward and not always very exciting. Things have gotten a lot more interesting, In jus! the past few years, the amazing development oi variable pressure SEMs has revolutionized the way we can look at samples. At the same time these new machines have changed the way we can image samples, they have also affected how we perform X-ray analysis on those samples.

I apologize in advance for the following gross simplification. For quite a lot of samples, the point and click method of X-ray analysis was and is sufficient to get meaningful data from a sample. Put the beam on a feature, collect a spectrum, and move onto the next sample.