During an SXM measurement, a sample is scanned through a small, focused X-ray beam. This process generates microscopic images of a thin section. These images provide valuable insights into the sample’s composition, density, and internal structure at a very high resolution.
In the soft X-ray range, scanning transmission microscopy can be easily combined with X-ray fluorescence measurements to examine the elemental distribution across a material. It can also be paired with X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) to identify different chemical species.