Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T03:03:30.750Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Small X-Ray Tubes for Energy Dispersive Analysis Using Semiconductor Spectrometers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

J. M. Jaklevic ,
R. D. Giauque ,
D. F. Malone  and
W. L. Searles
J. M. Jaklevic
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory University of California Berkeley, California 94720
R. D. Giauque
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory University of California Berkeley, California 94720
D. F. Malone
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory University of California Berkeley, California 94720
W. L. Searles
Affiliation:
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory University of California Berkeley, California 94720
Get access

Abstract

Fast X-ray fluorescence analysis with radioisotope excitation requires intense sources to produce reasonable counting rates. The inconvenience of handling such sources and the small number of suitable radioisotopes places severe limitations on their use.

We have explored the possibility of using low-power X-ray tubes as exciting sources for energy-dispersive fluorescence analysis. The principal advantage to X-ray tubes is the ability to produce X-ray fluxes to three orders of magnitude higher than those obtained with convenient radioisotope sources while dissipating only a few watts in the tube. Furthermore, the variety of possible anode materials and range of currents in the tube make possible optimum choice of exciting energy and intensity for particular applications.

We have designed and tested such tubes in a variety of anode configurations suitable for fluorescence excitation. Using either X-ray filtering techniques or multiple fluorescence geometries It is possible to significantly reduce the Bremsstrahlung background relative to characteristic radiation.

As compared with normal radioisotope-target assemblies, excitation of a sample by the X-ray tube results in comparable sensitivity in only a tenth to one hundredth of the time.

Type
Research Article
Information
Advances in X-Ray Analysis , Volume 15: Twentieth Annual Conference on Applications of X-ray Analysis, August 11-13, 1971 , 1971 , pp. 266 - 275
Copyright
Copyright © International Centre for Diffraction Data 1971

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Giauque, R. D., “A Radioisotope Source-Target Assembly for X-Ray Spectrometry”, Anal. Chem., 40 (1968) 2075.Google Scholar
2. Green, M. and Cosslett, V. E., “The Efficiency of Production of Characteristic X-Radiation in Thick Targets of a Pure Element”, Proc. Phys. Soc. (London) 78 (1961) 1206.Google Scholar
3. Goulding, F. S. Jaklevic, J. M., Jarrett, B. V. and Landis, D. A., “Detector Background and Sensitivity of X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometers”, to be presented at the 20th Annual Denver X-ray Conference, August 11-13 1971 LBL-9 Lawrence Berkeley Lab.Google Scholar
4. Landis, D. A., Goulding, F. S. and Pehl, R. H., “Pulsed Feedback Techniques for Semiconductor Detector Radiation Spectrometers”, IEEE Trans. Nuc. Sci., NS-18, No. 1 (1971) pg. 115–124.Google Scholar
5. Giauque, R. D. and Jaklevic, J. M., “Rapid Quantitative Analysis by X-Ray Spectrometry”, to be presented at the 20th Annual Denver X-ray Conference, August 11-13 1971.Google Scholar
6. Bearden, J. A., “X-Ray Wavelengths”, Rev. Mod. Phys., 39 (1967) 78.Google Scholar
7. McMaster, W. H., Del Grande, N. K., Mallett, J. H. and Hubbell, J. H. “Compilation of X-ray Cross Sections”, UCRL-50174 Section II Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Livermore, California Google Scholar