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WDS

Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS)

What is WDS?

WDS (or WDX) stands for Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry.

WDS is an analytical technique used to determine elemental composition by measuring characteristic X-rays generated by bombarding a solid with an electron beam. It is typically used to identify elements or quantitatively determine element concentrations at specific micron-sized points on a sample, or to map the distribution of elements across a sample surface.​

The X-ray signal measured by WDS is the same as exploited by the more commonly used technique for elemental determination on a scanning electron microscope (SEM) - Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS /EDX).​

Download WDS Infosheet Watch Tutorial on WDS
Ultim max detector and wave spectrometer

Why add a Wave Spectrometer for WDS analysis to an SEM-EDS system?

The spectral resolution of WDS is ~10x higher than EDS, enabling:

Wave is the only fully focusing Rowland circle geometry WD spectrometer offered for the SEM - giving the best spectral resolution available. Combining a Wave spectrometer with an Ultim Max EDS detector brings together the advantages of both techniques – speed and sensitivity – offering unparalleled accuracy for element identification and compositional measurement on the SEM.

EDS (Ultim Max)WDS (Wave Spectrometer)
Spectral resolution (eV)~50 – 200~2 – 20
Detection limit (ppm)~1000<100 for many elements
Measurable element rangeBe - Pu (Li on the Ultim Extreme)Be - Pu

Discover the five main reasons to add a Wave spectrometer to your SEM:

Find out more on Wave

AZtecWave – Easy-to-use software for fully integrated WDS and EDS analysis

AZtecWave takes the complexity out of WDS analysis and combining it with EDS analysis. It delivers:

Discover more about AZtecWave and the five main reasons to upgrade an INCA Wave system:

Learn More on AZtecWave 5 Reasons to Upgrade
WDS-EDS analysis in AZtecWave applications

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