A simple EDXRF technique to analyse alloys

¹ Department of Physics, University of Burdwan, Burdwan 713104, India
² Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF, Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064, India

Corresponding author: mano@anp.saha.ernet.in

Received: 23 April 2001
Accepted: 24 October 2001
Published online: 15 January 2002

Abstract

A simple EDXRF technique to obtain the relative concentrations of different elements present in a sample is described here. Only those elements have been considered whose characteristic X-rays fall within the sensitivity range of the X-ray detector that we used. A small computer program where the fundamental parameters such as photoionisation cross sections, fluorescence yields, Coster-Kronig transition rates, etc. have been used as inputs was written to calculate the relative concentrations of the elements. The technique used here requires only a single run with the sample and does not require any knowledge of the incoming X-ray flux or geometry of the experimental arrangement. Using this method, three alloys have been analysed in our existing EDXRF system.