Any technique in which an electron transparent specimen is bombarded with a finely
focused electron beam and the energy distribution of the transmitted electrons is
measured. This energy spectrum contains features corresponding to discrete losses
of energy of the transmitted electrons due to excitation of electronic or plasmon
states and provides information on the identity (and in some cases) chemical bonding
of the elements in the sample.
Source:
PAC, 1983, 55, 2023
(Nomenclature, symbols and units recommended for in situ microanalysis (Provisional))
on page 2025