Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) is an analytical technique used for the elemental analysis or chemical characterization of a sample by measuring the energies of x-rays emitted from the material when it is excited by a primary beam, typically from an electron beam. EDS is often coupled with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to provide detailed compositional information of the sample at microscopic levels, enhancing the understanding of the material's structure and properties.