When the human eye reaches its limits, the high-resolution light microscope and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) present an indispensable tool.

Inclusions, coatings or failures are often only perceptible by using high magnifications or via special lighting technologies. An optimised depth of pictures (combined images from various individual pictures of different sharpening levels) or pictures from different angles can be produced by the digital microscope thanks to software support.

(Light) Optically identically appearing materials and residues may potentially present themselves completely different in the element contrast of SEM. Besides the electron-optical, imaging analysis, the elemental composition can be determined precisely via energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Furthermore, an assessment of the layer thickness is possible with thin residues.

Among others, the following examinations are possible: