How EPMA technique is different from SEM. What advantage this technique has over the SEM/EDAX technique. I am working on the dissimilar metal welding and hot corrosion. Is EPMA is better for the elemental mapping across the weld or corrosion layers than SEM/EDAX?
EPMA is one of SEM varieties specifically designed for microanalysis. EPMA is intended to work with waveleghth dispersive spectrometers which have their advantages in lower detection limits and better energy resolution, but also some disadvantages: higher beam currents, lower spacial resolution, much higher analysis time and much more complex management. It's more demanding for a sample's surface and more costly too.
I'd say, if you need a fast and easy method for simple samples and concentrations above 0.2% you better use SEM/EDX installation.
Nothing much to add to Vladimir's answer : EPMA is the gold standard for electron source based quantitative analysis but it's also more expensive and less accessible than SEM based techniques.
If SEM-EDS proves insufficient (sensibility and selectivity) One alternative would be to have access to an SEM which has been fitted with a WDS.
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