There are two main advantages of using an electron microprobe for elemental analyses of solid materials. First, it is a micro-analytical technique. The volume being analyzed is typically in the range of one billionth of a cubic millimeter. Therefore very small areas can be analyzed in situ without contamination from the surrounding matrix. Secondly, it is a non-destructive technique. After the analyses, the sample can be used for other analytical procedures or it can be simply preserved for future reference.