A flexible setup for angle-resolved X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with laboratory sources

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Physics

Background:

• X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a standard technique for analyzing stratified materials like electronics and coatings.
• XRF allows for non-destructive quantitative determination of layer composition and thickness.
• Angle-resolved XRF (ARXRF) extends XRF capabilities to retrieve concentration depth profiles and stratigraphic information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel experimental sample chamber designed for versatile X-ray analysis.
• To enable various measurement geometries, including transmission, conventional XRF, and ARXRF.
• To facilitate the use of diverse laboratory X-ray sources and detection systems.

Main Methods:

• Development of a multi-purpose experimental sample chamber adaptable to various X-ray sources (soft and hard X-ray ranges) and detectors.
• Implementation of a specific setup for ARXRF utilizing an X-ray tube with a polycapillary X-ray lens.
• Characterization of the radiation field's spectral and lateral properties, crucial for quantitative ARXRF.

Main Results:

• The experimental sample chamber supports multiple measurement configurations.
• A functional ARXRF setup was successfully established using the developed chamber.
• Validation of the characterization methods was performed using a stratified sample, confirming the setup's quantitative potential.

Conclusions:

• The developed sample chamber is a versatile tool for advanced X-ray analysis techniques.
• The presented ARXRF setup, with proper characterization, enables quantitative depth profiling of stratified materials.
• This work advances the non-destructive investigation of complex material structures.