The aim of this five-day course is to introduce the principles of the most popular materials analysis characterisation methods based on microscopy, chemical, physical and structural analysis and thermal techniques. Consideration is also given to the analysis of particulate materials and coatings. The basic principles used for the physical characterisation of materials are outlined; microscopy by light, electrons and scanned probes will be introduced; and the readily available bulk characterisation methods such as diffraction, X-ray analysis and vibrational spectroscopies are described. Surface analysis by electron and ion spectroscopies also forms an important part of the course, using light electron, X-ray and ion beams. The methods included are X-ray analysis in the electron microscope by energy dispersive and wavelength dispersive spectrometry (EDS and WDS); surface analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES); together with the ion beam techniques of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). Structure determination by X-ray and electron diffraction (XRD and ED) is also included as is scanning probe microscopy. Particular emphasis is paid to the use of a variety of methods in multi-technique approaches for the characterisation of advanced materials.
