The following are online resources for EPMA, WDS, EDS, SEM topics that I gathered over the years (listed in no particular order).
- Guidebooks and other publications
- Tutorials and Webinars
- Microanalysis software
- Class notes
- Posters
- Microanalysis and Microscopy listservs
- Books
- Tips and tricks for sample preparation
Guidebooks and other publications:
Wiley Essential Knowledge Briefings
Wiley has a series of great, short guides called Essential Knowledge Briefings on the latest techniques, applications, and equipment used in analytical science and research laboratories. It requires registration but then they are free and available in different formats (pdf, mobi, epub).
The guides are perfect for use in teaching and to share with students or other interested users. You can also often find hard copies at the Wiley exhibition or their cooperating partners at big conferences.
- Electron Probe Microanalysis: www.essentialknowledgebriefings.com/downloads/electron-probe-microanalysis/
- Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS): www.essentialknowledgebriefings.com/downloads/energy-dispersive-spectroscopy-second-edition/
- Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS): http://www.essentialknowledgebriefings.com/downloads/wavelength-dispersive-x-ray-spectroscopy/
MyScope
- Tutorials on microanalysis and SEM, including a virtual SEM (!): http://ammrf.org.au/myscope/
Thermo Fisher
- Webinars on EDS and WDS topics but also image processing. You can either watch the webinar or just download the slides: https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/industrial/spectroscopy-elemental-isotope-analysis/spectroscopy-elemental-isotope-analysis-learning-center/spectroscopy-elemental-isotope-analysis-resource-library/microanalysis-webinars.html
- Application notes (you can refine the search terms further): https://www.thermofisher.com/search/supportSearch?navId=4294959593&query=eds
Bruker
- Webinars and slides for EDS, WDS, EBSD, Micro-XRF on SEM and Micro-CT for SEM: https://www.bruker.com/service/education-training/webinars/eds-ebsd-and-micro-ct-for-sem.html / https://www.bruker.com/service/education-training/webinars/eds-ebsd-and-micro-ct-for-sem/micro-xrf-archive.html
- Application notes: http://www.brukersupport.com/BrukerDownloads/1
Oxford
- Application notes: https://www.oxford-instruments.com/businesses/nanotechnology/nanoanalysis/campaigns/application-note-library
- Oxford on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/oxinst/playlists
EDAX
- Webinars: http://www.edax.com/mobile/news_events/web-seminars.aspx
- Applications notes, interactive periodic table, interactive slide ruler etc: http://www.edax.com/Literature/index.aspx
JEOL
- Various materials on EPMA (including a nice L-value table) : http://www.jeolusa.com/RESOURCES/Electron-Optics/Documents-Downloads?EntryId=172
- Various materials on SEM : http://www.jeolusa.com/RESOURCES/Electron-Optics/Documents-Downloads?EntryId=5
I always distribute "SEM Q&A", "SEM A to Z" and "A guide to scanning microscope observation" in my class. They are also available in print from JEOL.
Cameca
- Some very nice EPMA application notes. A few are only available on request: http://www.cameca.com/literature/application-notes.aspx#epma
- EPMA Literature overview: http://www.cameca.com/literature/scientific-publications/epma.aspx
The EPMA - Method development tool is a database of maximum range wavelength scans of more than 170 of the most common standard materials. It was created to support lab managers and users of electron microprobe facilities with the setup of analyses programs as well as for teaching purposes. epma-mdt.csl.utas.edu.au/
The Virtual WDS program allows the synthesis of Wavelength-Dispersive Electron Probe Spectra using stored experimental spectra, to facilitate the selection of optimal positions for background measurements and assist in the choice of suitable counting strategies for specific analytical situations. https://www.enterprise.cam.ac.uk/opportunities/virtual-wds/
CalcZAF is an off-line EPMA calculation utility for both teaching and research: http://www.probesoftware.com/Technical.html
Win X-Ray is a Monte Carlo simulation of electron trajectory in solid. This new Monte Carlo programs, Ray, is an extension of the well known Monte Carlo program CASINO, which includes statistical distributions for the backscattered electrons, trapped electrons, energy loss and phi rho z curves for X-ray. The newly added features in Ray are the complete simulation of the X-ray spectrum and the charging effect for an insulating specimen: http://montecarlomodeling.mcgill.ca/software/winxray/winxray.html
MC X-Ray is a new Monte Carlo program that is an extension of the Monte Carlo programs Casino and Win X-Ray since it computes the complete x-ray spectra from the simulation of electron scattering in solids of various types of geometries. MC X-Ray allows up to 256 different regions in the materials having the shape of spheres, cylinders and combinations of horizontal and vertical planes: http://montecarlomodeling.mcgill.ca/software/mcxray/mcxray.html
NIST DTSA-II is a multiplatform software package for quantitative x-ray microanalysis: http://www.cstl.nist.gov/div837/837.02/epq/dtsa2/
Nicholas Ritchie has a youtube channel with DTSA-tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt4nKyhfFQ8xecHyuTnCvIA
pyPENELOPE is an open-source software to facilitate the use of the Monte Carlo code PENELOPE and its main program PENEPMA in the field of microanalysis. It consists of a graphical user interface (GUI) to set up materials, geometry, simulation parameters and position of the detectors as well as to display the simulation’s result: http://pypenelope.sourceforge.net/
ProbeSoftware offers a suite of software solutions for quantitative microanalysis on an EPMA. It consists of Probe for EPMA, Probe Image, PictureSnapApp which I use for all routine and advance applications in my lab. More information can be found at: https://probesoftware.com
WiscResolution is a software tool to determine the electron beam diameter. It allows to import an SEM image and calculates beam diameter based on the intensity change across an interface: http://geoscience.wisc.edu/geoscience/research/facilities/electron-microprobe/software/
- Class notes by James Wittke (Northern Arizona University), archived version (!): https://web.archive.org/web/20160224143038/http://nau.edu/CEFNS/Labs/Electron-Microprobe/Class-Notes/
- Class notes by John Fournelle (U Wisconsin): http://www.geology.wisc.edu/~johnf/g777/
- Class notes by Nilanjan Chatterjee (MIT): https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/earth-atmospheric-and-planetary-sciences/12-141-electron-microprobe-analysis-january-iap-2012/
- Class notes by John Donovan (U Oregon): http://epmalab.uoregon.edu/lecture.htm
- Iowa State: How does the SEM work https://www.mse.iastate.edu/research/sem/microscopy/how-does-the-sem-work/
- EMAS Periodic table: https://www.microbeamanalysis.eu/EMAS_files/periodic%20table/EMAS-periodic-table.pdf
- EMAS X-ray energy chart: https://www.microbeamanalysis.eu/EMAS_files/periodic%20table/EMAS-xray-energy-chart.pdf
- JEOL L-value table: http://www.jeolusa.com/RESOURCES/Electron-Optics/Documents-Downloads?EntryId=620&Command=Core_Download
- EDAX Periodic Table: http://www.edax.com/literature/periodic.aspx
- Generate your own periodic table: http://norris.org.au/expet/ptab/
Microanalysis and Microscopy listservs
- JEOL listserv: maintained by me (contact me to subscribe). Listserv archives can be found here.
- CamecaSX50 listserv: maintained by John Fournelle at the University of Wisconsin.
- Microscopy listserv: maintained by Nestor Zaluzec. More information can be found here.
- Ted Pella has a list of useful books: https://www.tedpella.com/books_html/books.htm
- Some books and reports can be found at the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/
Tips and tricks for sample preparation
Mounting small grains (such as reference materials) can be difficult. Poor edge retention and shrinkage between the epoxy and grains can lead to charging or loss of the samples. Here are various resources around sample preparation of value for an EPMA/SEM lab:
- The SIMS facility of the University of Edinburgh has a fantastic webpage comparing the performance of various commercially available epoxies for grain mounting: https://www.ed.ac.uk/geosciences/facilities/ionprobe/technical/epoxyresins
- A step-by-step guide to mount small grains from the Getty conservation program: https://uclagettyprogram.wordpress.com/2014/03/29/mounting-small-samples/
- How to make a polished standard mount-guide from the Smithsonian Institution:
- A guide to ultrasonic cleaning: https://www.kemet.co.uk/blog/cleaning/ultrasonic-cleaning-the-complete-guide
- How to remove cured epoxy: https://ravescientific.com/education/36-removing-cured-epoxy
- Best practices for cleaning SEM stubs: https://ravescientific.com/education/35-best-practices-for-cleaning-sem-stubs-and-mounts
- A guide to choosing coating materials for SEM/EPMA samples: https://ravescientific.com/education/37-proper-target-material-selection-when-coating-samples-using-an-sem-sputter-coater