ABSTRACT
The commonest property required is the chemical composition of a particular area but other information such as chemical coordination or local electronic or vibrational data may also be deduced. If microanalysis in the general sense is carried out in such a way that spatially resolved information from different regions of the sample is obtained then imaging microanalysis is being performed. This chapter addresses some of the issues that arise in imaging microanalysis by placing particular emphasis upon scanning beam techniques. These are very widespread in use and are conveniently adaptable to computer controlled equipment. Direct imaging methods of microanalysis are designed so that the sample is illuminated over a large area instead of the incident radiation being focused into a fine probe. The spectrometer is of a type which images the emitting region of the sample onto a detector array.
