Basics of Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS) & Wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDS)

Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and
Wavelength-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (WDS) are the
Electron probe X-ray microanalysis techniques available for
elemental analysis. They use the characteristic X-rays
generated from a sample bombarded with electrons to
identify the elemental constituents comprising the sample.
Both techniques generate a spectrum in which the peaks
correspond to specific X-ray lines and the elements can be
easily identified. Quantitative data can also be obtained by
comparing peak heights or areas in the unknown with a
standard material. Of the two methods, EDS is more
commonly employed. Data collection and analysis with EDS
is a relatively quick and simple process because the
complete spectrum of energies is acquired simultaneously.
By contrast, with WDS the spectrum is acquired sequentially
as the full wavelength range is scanned. Although, it takes
longer to acquire a full spectrum, the WDS technique has
much improved resolution compared to EDS.