Induced X-ray emission

By inserting a semiconductor x-ray detector into the analysis chamber, one can measure particle induced x-rays. The cross section for particle induced x-ray emission (PIXE) is much greater than that for Rutherford backscattering and PIXE is a fast and convenient method for measuring the identity of atomic species within... 

Electron Microprobe A.na.Iysis, Electron microprobe analysis (ema) is a technique based on x-ray fluorescence from atoms in the near-surface region of a material stimulated by a focused beam of high energy electrons (7—9,30). Essentially, this method is based on electron-induced x-ray emission as opposed to x-ray-induced x-ray emission, which forms the basis of conventional x-ray fluorescence (xrf) spectroscopy (31). The microprobe form of this x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy was first developed by Castaing in 1951 (32), and today is a mature technique. Primary beam electrons with energies of 10—30 keV are used and sample the material to a depth on the order of 1 pm. X-rays from all elements with the exception of H, He, and Li can be detected. 

X-radiation can also be induced by high energy (several Me proton beams from ion accelerators. Such particle-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) (284) is useful for thin samples and particulates, having detection Hmits of g. Intense synchrotron x-ray sources have found appHcations in... 

The determination of cesium in minerals can be accompHshed by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry or for low ranges associated with geochemical exploration, by atomic absorption, using comparative standards. For low levels of cesium in medical research, the proton induced x-ray emission technique has been developed (40). 

Three techniques involving the use of X-ray emission to obtain quantitative elemental analysis of materials are described in this chapter. They are X-Ray Fluorescence, XRF, Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence, TXRF, and Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission, PIXE. XRF and TXRF use laboratory X-ray tubes to excite the emission. PIXE uses high-energy ions from a particle accelerator. 

The X-ray emission process followii the excitation is the same in all three cases, as it is also for the electron-induced X-ray emission methods (EDS and EMPA) described in Chapter 3. The electron core hole produced by the excitation is filled by an electron falling from a shallower level, the excess energy produced being released as an emitted X ray with a wavelength characteristic of the atomic energy levels involved. Thus elemental identification is provided and quantification can be obtained from intensities. The practical differences between the techniques come from the consequences of using the different excitation sources. 

Particle Induced X-Ray Emission Hydrogen/Helium Induced X-ray Emission... 

Vol. 133. Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission Spectrometry. By Sven A. E. Johansson, John L. Campbell, and Klas G. Malmqvist... 

Although sophisticated methods may constitute the core methods for certification it is useful to include good, well executed routine methods. In order to further minimize systematic error, a conscious purposeful attempt should be made to get methods and procedures with wide-ranging and different sample preparation steps, including no decomposition as in instrumental neutron activation analysis and particle induced X-ray emission spectrometry. 

Neutron Activation Analysis X-Ray Fluorescence Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission Particle-Induced Nuclear Reaction Analysis Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry Spark Source Mass Spectrometry Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry Electron Microprobe Analysis Laser Microprobe Analysis Secondary Ion Mass Analysis Micro-PIXE... 

There are two principal sources of reliable partitioning data for any trace element glassy volcanic rocks and high temperature experiments. For the reasons outlined above, both sources rely on analytical techniques with high spatial resolution. Typically these are microbeam techniques, such as electron-microprobe (EMPA), laser ablation ICP-MS, ion-microprobe secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) or proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). 

Principles and Characteristics Particle-induced X-ray emission spectrometry (PIXE) is a high-energy ion beam analysis technique, which is often considered as a complement to XRF. PIXE analysis is typically carried out with a proton beam (proton-induced X-ray emission) and requires nuclear physics facilities such as a Van der Graaff accelerator, or otherwise a small electrostatic particle accelerator. As the highest sensitivity is obtained at rather low proton energies (2-4 MeV), recently, small and relatively inexpensive tandem accelerators have been developed for PIXE applications, which are commercially available. Compact cyclotrons are also often used. 

Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) in which electrons are ionised, and elemental specific X-rays are generated by the incident ion beam. 

A publication by Johansson et al. (1970) over thirty years ago marks the introduction of this technique of particle-induced X-ray emission analysis. They used protons and... 

Johansson, S.A., Campbell, J.L. Malmqvist, K.G. (1995) Particle-Induced X-Ray Emission Spectrometry (PIXE), John Wiley Sons, New York, Chichester. 

Ion beam probes are used in a wide range of techniques, including Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The applications of these and number of other uses of ion beam probes are discussed. 

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