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JEOL 8900 Electron Microprobe

By Denver Microbeam Laboratory

JEOL 8900 Electron Microprobe

By counting the X-rays generated by each element in the sample and comparing that number to the number of X-ray generated by a standard of known composition, it is possible to determine the chemical composition of a spot one one-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter with great accuracy.

Having been part of the USGS for over 25 years, the JEOL 8900 Superprobe is a workhorse, typically running 24/7 with a two month advance booking period.  The 8900 has 5 automated wavelength dispersive spectrometers for quantitative chemical data from volumes as small as a few cubic micrometers.  The DML maintains a multitude of standards to allow for metal, oxide, sulfide, and silicate analyses.  In addition to spot analysis, qualitative and quantitative chemical mapping is possible. 

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