Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, also known as SEM-EDS, is considered a non-destructive micro-analytical technique, and it is effective for major and minor element analysis. The ability to characterize and identify small particles and other materials in the SEM is greatly enhanced by the common addition of EDS capability. In the scanning electron microscope, the bombardment by the energetic electron beam induces the emission of x-rays at energies which are characteristic of the elements present in the sample. These x-rays are collected by an EDS detector, sorted and counted, and the result can be presented as an EDS spectrum or histogram. EDS can also produce an elemental map, which is an image of an area on a sample that shows the elements present and their concentration.
