---
title: "List of materials analysis methods"
chunk: 2/2
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_materials_analysis_methods"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:29:31.983481+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

== P ==
PAS – Positron annihilation spectroscopy
Photoacoustic spectroscopy
PAT or PACT – Photoacoustic tomography or photoacoustic computed tomography
PAX – Photoemission of adsorbed xenon
PC or PCS – Photocurrent spectroscopy
Phase contrast microscopy
PhD – Photoelectron diffraction
PD – Photodesorption
PDEIS – Potentiodynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
PDS – Photothermal deflection spectroscopy
PED – Photoelectron diffraction
PEELS – parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy
PEEM – Photoemission electron microscopy (or photoelectron emission microscopy)
PES – Photoelectron spectroscopy
PINEM – photon-induced near-field electron microscopy
PIGE – Particle (or proton) induced gamma-ray spectroscopy,  see nuclear reaction analysis
PIXE – Particle (or proton) induced X-ray spectroscopy
PL – Photoluminescence
Porosimetry
Powder diffraction
PTMS – Photothermal microspectroscopy
PTS – Photothermal spectroscopy

== Q ==
QENS – Quasielastic neutron scattering
QCM-D – Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring

== R ==
Raman spectroscopy
RAXRS – Resonant anomalous X-ray scattering
RBS – Rutherford backscattering spectrometry
REM – Reflection electron microscopy
RDS – Reflectance difference spectroscopy
RHEED – Reflection high energy electron diffraction
RIMS – Resonance ionization mass spectrometry
RIXS – Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering
RR spectroscopy – Resonance Raman spectroscopy

== S ==
SAD – Selected area diffraction
SAED – Selected area electron diffraction
SAM – Scanning Auger microscopy
SANS – Small angle neutron scattering
SAXS – Small angle X-ray scattering
SCANIIR – Surface composition by analysis of neutral species and ion-impact radiation
SCEM – Scanning confocal electron microscopy
SE – Spectroscopic ellipsometry
SEC – Size exclusion chromatography
SEIRA – Surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy
SEM – Scanning electron microscopy
SERS – Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy
SERRS – Surface enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy
SESANS – Spin Echo Small Angle Neutron Scattering
SEXAFS – Surface extended X-ray absorption fine structure
SICM – Scanning ion-conductance microscopy
SIL – Solid immersion lens
SIM – Solid immersion mirror
SIMS – Secondary ion mass spectrometry
SNMS – Sputtered neutral species mass spectrometry
SNOM – Scanning near-field optical microscopy
SPECT – Single-photon emission computed tomography
SPM – Scanning probe microscopy
SRM-CE/MS – Selected-reaction-monitoring capillary-electrophoresis mass-spectrometry
SSNMR – Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance
Stark spectroscopy
STED – Stimulated emission depletion microscopy
STEM – Scanning transmission electron microscopy
STM – Scanning tunneling microscopy
STS – Scanning tunneling spectroscopy
SXRD – Surface X-ray diffraction

== T ==
TAT or TACT – Thermoacoustic tomography or thermoacoustic computed tomography (see also photoacoustic tomography – PAT)
TEM – Transmission electron microscopy
TGA – Thermogravimetric analysis
TIKA – Transmitting ion kinetic analysis
TIMS – Thermal ionization mass spectrometry
TIRFM – Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy
TLS – Photothermal lens spectroscopy, a type of photothermal spectroscopy
TMA – Thermomechanical analysis
TOF-MS – Time-of-flight mass spectrometry
Two-photon excitation microscopy
TXRF – Total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis

== U ==
Ultrasound attenuation spectroscopy
UPS – UV-photoelectron spectroscopy
USANS – Ultra small-angle neutron scattering
USAXS – Ultra small-angle X-ray scattering
UT – Ultrasonic testing
UV-Vis – Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy

== V ==
VEDIC – Video-enhanced differential interference contrast microscopy
Voltammetry

== W ==
WAXS – Wide angle X-ray scattering
WDX or WDS – Wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

== X ==
XAES – X-ray induced Auger electron spectroscopy
XANES – XANES, synonymous with NEXAFS (near edge X-ray absorption fine structure)
XAS – X-ray absorption spectroscopy
X-CTR – X-ray crystal truncation rod scattering
X-ray crystallography
XDS – X-ray diffuse scattering
XES – X-ray emission spectroscopy
XPEEM – X-ray photoelectron emission microscopy
XPS – X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
XRD – X-ray diffraction
XRES – X-ray resonant exchange scattering
XRF – X-ray fluorescence analysis
XRR – X-ray reflectivity
XRS – X-ray Raman scattering
XRT – X-ray transmission
XSW – X-ray standing wave technique

== See also ==
Characterization (materials science)

== References ==
Callister, WD (2000). Materials Science and Engineering – An Introduction. London: John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 0-471-32013-7.
Yao, N, ed. (2007). Focused Ion Beam Systems: Basics and Applications. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-83199-4.