Cathodoluminescence microscopy is a technique to visualize in minerals and materials heterogeneities and internal structures that are invisible using pure optical methods (reflected and transmitted light microscopy). Internal structures of minerals become visible and are indicative of growth zoning, trace element zoning and structures allowing processes such as mineral growth, resolution and alteration to be reconstructed. Furthermore, it helps to rapidly distinguish optical similar minerals, …

The Electron Microprobe lab offers non-destructive chemical analyses of solids using a JEOL JXA-8200 Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA) with an EDX detector. The microprobe is capable of quantitatively measuring the abundance of all elements from C to U using five wavelength-dispersive spectrometers (WDS) and an energy-dispersive X-Ray spectrometer (EDX) for rapid analyses. This analytical technique combines micron-scale chemical analyses with scanning electron microscopy and is capable of …

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is designed for fast analytical and micro-morphological investigation of surfaces. The lab is running a JEOL JSM-6510 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) (W-filament, 0.5-30 kV acceleration voltage) combined with an Oxford Instrument INCAx-act detector (Energy Dispersive X-Ray spectrometer, EDX) for fast analytical and micro-morphological investigations. The maximum sample size is 32 mm in diameter; spatial resolution of the SEM down to 3 nm (30 kV). Two …