A quantitative x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analytical system has been developed with the emphasis on small sample size. The system employs a two kilowatt tungsten anode x-ray tube, and an 80 mm2 lithium drifted silicon x-ray detector arranged in a compact geometry. Operation at 55 kV and 20 m A give a sensitivity of 153 counts/min/ng at Z=42 (molybdenum). A computer controlled target changer makes it capable of analyzing 32 targets automatically. The sample target is rotated during irradiation, so that the average sample position is defined to 0.2 mm. Several sets of 5 to 9 calibration targets have exhibited a standard deviation of less than 1%.
Tungsten anode spectral model using interpolating cubic splines: Unfiltered x-ray spectra from 20 kV to 640 kV