Cross-Sections: A Look Beneath the Surface
How Layer Structures, Defects, and Causes of Damage Become Visible
A cross-section is a workpiece or material that is specially prepared for analytical examination. It allows for the examination of layer structures in terms of quality, as well as the identification of defects or causes of damage.
Hardly any everyday product is made of a single material or a single layer. Smartphones consist of numerous layers, such as a scratch-resistant coating, glass, the display, electronics, adhesives, and various carrier materials. Vehicle bodies combine multiple layers of paint, corrosion protection, primer, and a wide variety of composite materials. Even conventional packaging—often perceived as a simple product—is actually composed of several functional layers.
Cross-sections make it possible to visualize the complexity of such systems. The analysis provides insights into layer thicknesses, adhesion between individual layers, material defects, impurities, and damage mechanisms. Consequently, cross-section analysis is a standard practice in materials, defect, and damage analysis.
How Layer Structures, Defects, and Causes of Damage Become Visible
A cross-section is a cross-section of a workpiece or material that is specially prepared for analytical examination. It allows for the examination of layer structures in terms of quantity and quality, as well as the localization and identification of defects or causes of damage.
Hardly any everyday product is made of a single material or a single layer. Smartphones consist of numerous layers, such as a scratch-resistant coating, glass, the display, electronics, adhesives, and various carrier materials. Vehicle bodies combine multiple layers of paint, corrosion protection, primer, and a wide variety of composite materials. Even conventional packaging—often perceived as a simple product—is made up of several functional layers.
Cross-sections make it possible to visualize the complexity of such systems. The analysis provides insights into layer thicknesses, adhesion between individual layers, material defects, impurities, and damage mechanisms. Consequently, cross-section analysis is a standard practice in materials, defect, and damage analysis.
What is analyzed?
Cross-sections are primarily used to examine microstructures and layer systems. Analysis using cross-sections allows for the evaluation of layer thicknesses, interfaces, and transitions, as well as overall quality.
In addition, cross-sections are an important tool in materials, defect, and damage analysis. Defects such as inclusions, spots, pores, cracks, or delaminations can be located, evaluated, and investigated to determine their cause.
In addition to microscopic examination, cross-sections are frequently used for material analysis. For example, chemical compositions, impurities, or damage mechanisms can be analyzed using techniques such as SEM/EDX, FTIR, or TOF-SIMS.
What happens to your sample?
To prepare cross-sections, representative areas of a workpiece are removed. These segments are then embedded, ground, and polished. . Depending on the material and the specific application, the appropriate embedding method (cold or hot embedding) is selected.
After preparation, the cross-sections can be examined under a microscope or used for further chemical and materials analysis procedures.
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