Published online by Cambridge University Press: 17 November 2003
Since its introduction in the early eighties, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) proved a particularly useful tool in the characterisation of delicate samples mainly in the field of life sciences. Now, the potential of this equipment (no or little sample preparation, possible dynamic observation and reactivity studies...) is more and more employed in traditional materials domains. Some typical applications of ESEM concerning metallic compounds are presented.