Some Other Aspects Connected with PIXE Analysis

4 Some Other Aspects Connected with PIXE Analysis 

Choice of Beam/PIXE Using Heavy Ion Beams 

PIXE work is normally carried out with protons of 2-3 MeV. Two aspects are important for consideration i.e., (a) PIXE using low energy protons ( 1 MeV) and (b) PIXE using heavy charged particles/ ions like deuterons, a-particles and heavy ions like He+, He +, C+, N+, 0+, Ne+, etc. 

The advantage of low energy PIXE are as follows (1) the minimum detectable limits are shifted toward lighter elements, (2) the ratio of secondary to primary radiation decreases, and (3) the small ranges and low X-ray yields of 

The PIXE method using 30 MeV a-particles, has been applied for the elemental analysis of metal targets by Bauer et al. (1978) who have reported the advantage of better accuracy and deep penetration ( 100 pm) of a-particles into the sample. The Ka X-ray yield of thick targets for alpha particles ranging from 1 to 100 MeV was reported by Castiglioni et al. (1992). The heavy ions such as C, N+, 0+, and Ne are not very suitable for PIXE studies mainly because the cross-sections for X-ray production are too small (not 

---