Utilization of Increased Sensitivity of X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry due to Polarization of the Background Radiation

Abstract

IN X-ray fluorescence analysis, the limit of detection of an element is usually set by statistical fluctuations in the continuous background at the wave-length of the most ‘sensitive’ line of the element. Consequently, the sensitivity of detection of an element will be improved if the intensity of the continuum is decreased. A typical example is the use of pulse height analysis with a detector the output pulse height of which is proportional to the energy of the incident quantum. By this means, overlapping orders of background can be rejected, resulting in increased sensitivity.