The Fifth International Congress on X-Ray Optics and Microanalysis was organized by the Institute of Applied Physics at Tübingen University in Western Germany from September 9th through 14th, 1968. Since 1956, when the First Conference was arranged in Cambridge, England by one of the pioneers in this field, V. E. CossLETT, the experts in the fields of X-Ray Optics and Microanalysis have met every third year to exchange their scientific experiences. Later meetings were held at Uppsala, Sweden in 1959, at Stanford, California in 1962, and at Orsay, Francein 1965. The participants in the 1968 Conference came from the following countries: Germany 140, France 60, Great Britain 55, USA 20, Netherlands 16, Switzerland 12, Austria 9, Sweden 7, Belgium 6, Japan 5, Italy 4, two each from Israel, Yugoslavia, Canada, Norway, Hungary and one each from Argentine, Poland, South Africa. As at the latest congress in Paris the following central topics were treated: General problems of X-ray optics, physical bases of electron beam microanalysis, quantitative problems of X-ray microanalysis, instrumentation, microdiffraction, applications to metal lurgy, mineralogy, and biology. An exhibition showing some of the most modern instruments formed an important part of the conference. The Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, deserves thanks for the careful and speedy work they have performed in printing these conference proceedings. We are further indebted to all contributors of this volume for their kind cooperation. Tübingen, August 1969 G. MöLLENSTEDT and K. H.

First multi-year cumulation covers six years: 1965-70.

Includes subject section, name section, and 1968-1970, technical reports.

Since the first edition of this book was published early in 1970, three major developments have occurred in the field of x-ray spectrochemical analysis. First, wavelength-dispersive spectrometry, in 1970 already securely established among instrumental analytical methods, has matured. Highly sophisticated, miniaturized, modular, solid-state circuitry has replaced elec tron-tube circuitry in the readout system. Computers are now widely used to program and control fully automated spectrometers and to store, process, and compute analytical concentrations directly and immediately from ac cumulated count data. Matrix effects have largely yielded to mathematical treatment. The problems associated with the ultralong-wavelength region have been largely surmounted. Indirect (association) methods have extended the applicability of x-ray spectrometry to the entire periodic table and even to certain classes of compounds. Modern commercial, computerized, auto matic, simultaneous x-ray spectrometers can index up to 60 specimens in turn into the measurement position and for each collect count data for up to 30 elements and read out the analytical results in 1--4 min-all corrected for absorption-enhancement and particle-size or surface-texture effects and wholly unattended. Sample preparation has long been the time-limiting step in x-ray spectrochemical analysis. Second, energy-dispersive spectrometry, in 1970 only beginning to assume its place among instrumental analytical methods, has undergone phenomenal development and application and, some believe, may supplant wavelength spectrometry for most applications in the foreseeable future.