How does Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) work?

Since energy levels are discrete and unique to each atom, we can knock out inner electrons and as outer electrons fall into the empty spot they give off a characteristic photon. We can use that specific photon to match it to which atom produced it! This is the basis for quantitative composition analysis using Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS, EDX, EDAX).

[@RychleTube]

Thank you for your perfect presentation. The way you compared electron vacancy to a vacant space in a concert helped me understand the whole process clearly. Thank you again.

[@dannagonzalez8794]

Thank you! This was really well explained and dynamic. :) Helped a lot

[@vitoleskur]

Amazing explanation, explained super well and in simple terms

[@TaylorSparks]

Thanks!! 🙏🏻

[@sergeiflozov91]

This is very informative! Many thanks from an HS student in South Korea!!

[@renukakendurkar6249]

Thanks a lot for Clear-cut explanation of each and every related concepts. Excellent Presentation. Once again thanks .

[@TaylorSparks]

Glad to help

[@callbikram]

Wonderful explanation. Thank you

[@0blabla159]

Thank you, great explanation, very helpful video!

[@tomendandtomake2431]

Dude, you helped me so much with this explanation. I'm currently writing my BA thesis on Analytics in Textile Archaeology and everyone is like "yeah we determinded the use of mordants in our textile sample using EDX to identify metal residues in the fibres" but noone tells you how EDX works. Thanks a million!

[@TaylorSparks]

It's my pleasure!! Btw, textile archaeology!? So cool.

[@mahbubchowdhury8914]

Thank you so much, one of the best explanations on EDS

[@TaylorSparks]

Glad to help!

[@goldenrkivee]

Omg, this is such a helpful video. Currently working on my final assignment in air quality for particulate matter and this really help me understanding the concept of EDX. Thank you very much, sir!

[@TaylorSparks]

So glad to help

[@Suche13]

I love the way you taught that, thank you

[@TaylorSparks]

Always glad to help!!

[@MrThusiya]

Nicely explained .........👍

[@noormili3230]

clear explanation, thank you!!

[@TaylorSparks]

Glad to help! Lots of other mse on our channel. Thanks for checking it out.

[@ij5711]

Great explanation.. I needed this for my university assignment.. Thanks a lot..

[@TaylorSparks]

Heck yeah, I love hearing this sort of feedback.

[@kimbokjoo6817]

Hi Taylor, what is the Ka next to element %?

[@Psyduck007__]

perfect video

[@thienanphamphan1931]

Thank you so much !

[@PersefonaeParacelsus]

that's what I wanted to know for my PhD interview! thanx a lot! :D

[@TaylorSparks]

Glad to help! Good luck on your interview!! 🍀🤞

[@him31anshu]

So you selected then? Congrats!

[@mohsen-ng6sr]

Love it ! Thanks bro👌

[@TaylorSparks]

My pleasure! Like, sub and share and I'll keep cranking these out ;)

[@leengkhiam1963]

How do I calculate the weight and atomic percentage? And how do I understand it?

[@ariostomoreno5677]

Una muy sencilla pero ilustrativa explicación la del concierto jajaja. Gracias, excelente video.

[@TaylorSparks]

Es cierto!

[@kavymedal1609]

Sir.. what can be the reason that stoichiometry obtained by EDS doesn't match with the expected value??

[@nabbaismael4905]

Sir I have question Is it true that if the values ​​of the highest concentrations according to the chart do not match the values ​​of the weights? Plz respond to me

[@lucysluckyday]

Neat! Is it a generic bombardment of the entire sample, or can you direct the energy at a specific point to test a material? Or can you using masking to shield the parts of the sample you don't want tested? I am considering whether this might give me information on an old transistor (innards removed from its case) that I need to understand (Si, P, B, Al, SiO2, Au).

[@TaylorSparks]

Yes, it's a spatially resolved process so you can look at the signal just from certain spots in the micrograph

[@maartenmathlener2261]

What's the difference between this and XRF?

[@MrGeragon]

What is the penetration depth? Additionally, you determine the Ka Kb La etc transitions in the spectrum. Can you have auger effects that affect your spectrum? Can an atom give both Ka and La from a consequent excitation?

[@TaylorSparks]

Depends on the material and the accelerating voltage but typically a few microns.

[@arunsk6892]

can energy dispersive spectroscopy done in liquid sample?

[@jacquelinemascarenhas3346]

Thank you

[@TaylorSparks]

My pleasure!

[@qwertytrewq9870]

Doesn't eds use electrons rather than emr? Haven't you described xrf?

[@SFYN..]

If I am analyzing a multiphase alloy, let's say for reverse engineering, the point analysis will give the composition of the phase upon the which the beam is pointing. So does there exist a criteria for EDS where we can get accurate results representing the alloy composition rather than just a phase?

[@TaylorSparks]

You are exactly right. I think most people simply zoom out when they collect their EDS image so that you are sampling over multiple phases.

[@FearNoSteel]

Is EDS more accurate for identifying carbide phases than XRD? Say if we wanted to identify the carbides and EDS says one thing and XRD says another, which is a more accurate?

[@TaylorSparks]

Xrd for sure! Eds for light elements like carbon is a bad idea.

[@beratozen9520]

Thank you for the explanation.My job was an EDX analysis of lithium nitrate. But an EDX analysis of lithium nitrate was not possible. Are there any reasons for that? Why it is not possible to identify lithium and nitrogen on EDX?

[@beratozen9520]

This information would be important for my bachelor‘s thesis

[@MarsW1321]

@@beratozen9520 In the video it explained how X-ray is been generated and you can see there are some requirement for that (electron beam voltage, orbitals of element etc.). You may think if Lithium nitrate can meet the requirement for generating X-ray.

[@ReggaePhysics]

You spend tens of thousands of pounds to go to uni and some old moron stands up and bores you to death and fails to teach you anything much, and this guy explains several extremely fundamental concepts in 8 minutes.. for free.. I'm not sure what your background is but your teaching system is very effective. Thank you

[@TaylorSparks]

Thanks homie! I did my undergraduate in materials at the University of Utah where I am now teaching. I got a masters at UC Santa Barbara and a PhD from Harvard in between. I love teaching! On my channel you will find 100 than hundreds of material science videos.

[@lorrainewaters6189]

Thank you so much! One thing I don't get is why is the C peak, a peak, but its wt% is 0?

[@TaylorSparks]

A couple of reasons. The first is that we often add carbon to prevent charging. So it might not actually be present in your sample, it could just be at the surface. The second is that EDS does not work well for light elements.

[@rawaaalhilween8333]

i wish to know what does determine which electron gonne go occupy the empty space that is left by the other. do electrons talk to each other and make an agreement which is gonna get this empty place? .

[@TaylorSparks]

I don't know the answer. I would assume that leaving a previous spot and moving to a new spot both have energies associated and you could model it as a probability of occurring based on every driving force and activation energy retarding it.

[@matiososaw]

I believe we cannot measure Carbon atoms by EDS, because of SEM properties, am I right? This Carbon atoms are counting as background pollution of sample and we cant measure them? In college, something like that was told to me about the EDS analysis. I'm not picking on, I'm just asking if it's true :) Greetings, nice film.

[@TaylorSparks]

I can't remember if it's because carbon is everywhere and it shows up as background, or because the intensity of the transitions are too weak or overshadowed by something or what actually. I know that in general light elements can't be picked up and so it's not just carbon, because it's not like lithium or boron are everywhere. I think it has to do with the energy of the transitions

[@MarsW1321]

@@TaylorSparks Because EDS is operate in the electron microscope, there are several sources for the carbon contamination. It may comes from the oil vapor of the rotary pump and mostly comes from the sample preparation - it's difficult to remove all the hydro carbons from the sample surface. The e-beam illumination can break the bonding and become carbon deposit as a result. In the end, most of the carbon signal detected may not comes from the sample itself.

[@EsEz89]

Thanx .. very informative video ... I have a Q, ? Why the quantitive analysis for C element is 00000 wt% but it present high peak in the spectrum ? ?

[@TaylorSparks]

great question! There can be several reasons for this. For example, carbon could have been applied as a thin film on the surface in order to make the sample conductive. Therefore, it should be ignored since it was added as part of the methodology.

[@EsEz89]

@@TaylorSparks l made EDS analysis for my study research which is silicone material. The main elemental compostion for silicone are si, c, o . For control group the 3 element present but for the expermental group once i added ZrO2 to silicone the analysis present Zr, O, Si without carbon.... why ...?? I didnt find the reason for such thing... or maybe the persone who did the test ignore the carbon

[@rizka7792]

@@EsEz89 excuse me, have you found the answer to this? Because my sample also had a similar problem

[@ij5711]

Understood about the identification bt how It's used for composition determination of materials?

[@TaylorSparks]

Integrated area under peak curve is proportional to the atomic weight. Technically, you have to use calibrations standards to get it to come out right. Because not all elements interact the exact same way some have more transitions and others and so they will have more intensity. But if you use some calibrated standards then you can do it.

[@ameerulfaris4173]

mantap

[@juaneer]

Aren't EDS spectrums given in terms of energy (eV)?

[@TaylorSparks]

eV or keV typically.

[@akashgayakwad8983]

why energy of xray in eds spectra is not matching the theoritical calculation ??? please please answer me ???

[@TaylorSparks]

Perhaps a different element is there than the one that you expected?? Or perhaps you are looking at the wrong wavelength? There are many possible wavelengths for each element. K,L,M, alpha, beta, 1,2 etc.

[@akashgayakwad8983]

@@TaylorSparks I tried , but not getting the same result as in EDs

[@MarsW1321]

@@TaylorSparks The theoretical calculation is based on several assumptions. The most important is the sample is assumed flat (nm scale roughness) and the sample is homogeneous. However, in reality, most of the sample can not meet this requirement. Thus you can see the deviation.

[@mburumaina8860]

is 2.36 ev ok? I am getting 2.36 x 10e-9

[@TaylorSparks]

You need to do the conversion to nanometers.

[@tsungomm1914]

What is the value of h and c in the formula?

[@TaylorSparks]

Planck's constant and the speed of light

[@tsungomm1914]

@@TaylorSparks thank you

[@johnnyboy9844]

Thank Jesus I found this