Low-energy characteristic X-rays (physicists like the term ‘soft X-rays’ =]…) are problematic to detect and quantify using existing Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy techniques. For example, within Mg-Li alloys, proper detection of Li remains a significant challenge.
Very interesting work on instrumentation of EDX coupled with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has now addressed to this problem. Great work from a friend Dr. Johannes Österreicher from the world-class Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT).
Materials at Extremes 