Elemental overview of a thin section (2.5 x 2 cm) typically requires large-area mapping over numerous fields, which can take several hours with conventional approaches. To shorten the measurement time without compromising data quality, we utilize the annular EDS FlatQUAD detector, capable of collecting up to 2.4 million counts per second. This speed reduces the required time-per-pixel, dwell time per frame, and overall measurement time, enabling the mapping of major elemental distributions across an entire thin section in under a minute.
In this example of a garnet-spinel peridotite from South Africa, we compare measurements of the entire thin section which took several hours to cover the 8 x 14 fields, resulting in high statistical accuracy compared with ultra-high-speed mappings revealing elemental distribution in less than one minute measurement time for the entire thin section. This example showcases the efficiency and capability of advanced EDS technology in geological studies. Extending the measurement time will result in much better statistics, and the software can detect mineral phases automatically; however, the major elements distribution is clearly visible in a short analytical run time for the entire thin section, including offline extraction of spectra from each pixel in the map for further quantification.