This book provides the reader with a working knowledge sufficient to select microbeam techniques for the efficient, cost-effective solution of complex problems arising in today's high-tech industries. Primarily written for the industrial analyst whose field of expertise is other than microbeam analysis, it will also be of help to engineers, plant chemists and industrial research scientists who often seek the aid of the microbeam analyst in their problem solving. Research and plant managers as well as administrators may also find this book helpful since they may be called upon to select and/or approve high-priced microbeam instruments.The book is organized into two parts. Part I gives a brief description of the various techniques and critically compares their capabilities and limitations. Part II consists of selected applications which show how the various techniques or their combinations are applied to characterize materials and to guide research in a wide variety of fields. The examples and case histories will undoubtedly aid the reader in problem solving, quality assurance and research-related tasks. Newcomers to the field will find enough information in the book to enable them to begin practical work and to apply the techniques.