This technique enables images of the elements in the near surface layer of conducting samples to be acquired. SAM a combination of the techniques of SEM and AES. An electron beam is scanned over the surface and the electrons excited from the surface are energy analysed to detect Auger peaks. The intensity of the Auger peaks as a function of the position of the electron beam provides an image of the element to which the Auger peak corresponds. As for AES, the near surface layer typically means the first 2 or 3 atomic layers of the surface.