The laboratories of the Getty Conservation Institute are equipped with up-to-date analytical instrumentation and equipment. The techniques using this instrumentation are listed below, linked to brief descriptions that include examples of applications and suggestions for further reading.

Commonly, more than one technique is used to investigate an object or material.

Chemical Analysis

• Ultraviolet/Visible Spectroscopy (UV/VIS)
• X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF)
• X-ray Diffractometry (XRD)
• Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
• Gas Chromatography (GC) and GC/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)
• Liquid Chromatography (LC) and LC/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS)
  High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
• Portable Laboratory

Microscopy

• Electron Microprobe (EPMA)
• Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM)
• Polarizing Light Microscopy

Thermal Methods

• Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
  Thermogravimetry (TG)
  Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA)

Last updated: April, 2006