Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX)

EDX is an analytical technique used for the elemental analysis of a material. In EDX a beam of electrons bombards the top surface of the sample. If the incoming electron beam is of sufficient energy it will cause inner shell electrons of the affected atoms to become excited and thus ejected from its bond to the nucleus of the atom. When this happens, an electron from an outer, higher energy, shell drops down to take its place. That electron must release some of its energy in order to fit into the inner, lower energy shell. That release of energy, in X-ray form, is then collected, counted, and converted into weight or atomic percentages. EPI Materials Testing Group uses our EDX in the elemental analysis of many different materials in the daily process of running failure analyses and the wide array of testing services that we perform from corrosion products to identifying particles in filtrate.