SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1964
STP45952S

Comparison of X-ray Fluorescence and Electron Probe Methods: Future Trends

Source

At present, X-ray fluorescence and electron probe analysis are suitable for all atomic numbers down to 11 (Na). Precision for major constituents is about 1 per cent of the amount present for X-ray fluorescence but 3 to 5 per cent for electron probe analysis because of the relatively higher background. The limit of detectability is about 1 ppm or 10−8 g for X-ray fluorescence and about 100 ppm or 10−14 g for the electron probe. A number of improvements are likely in the near future that will extend the present limit considerably. These include: (1) measurement of the elements from boron to fluorine, (2) specimen pretreatment by techniques especially designed for X-ray analysis rather than wet chemistry, (3) selective excitation and detection of X-rays from only a few desired elements in a complex specimen, and (4) use of high-speed computers with suitably designed mathematics to eliminate the requirement for known comparison standards in quantitative analysis.

Author Information

Birks, L., S.
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D. C.
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Developed by Committee: E13
Pages: 151–162
DOI: 10.1520/STP45952S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-6749-0
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-6603-5