A Monte Carlo approach to X-ray attenuation corrections for proton-induced X-ray emission from particulate samples

Abstract

It has long been recognized that PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission) spectra from thick targets need to be modified with respect to the thin target spectra used for calibration. This is due to the degradation of the energy of the protons entering the sample and the attenuation of the X-rays emerging from the sample. Thick-target corrections typically assume the target to be composed of a layer of sample material having uniform thickness. Because many environmental samples, however, are composed of particles averaging several μm in diameter, the usual thick-target corrections are inappropriate. It has previously been shown that size corrections for spherical particles of homogeneous composition can be significant. In the current work a method is presented which employs Monte Carlo techniques to calculate X-ray intensity corrections for particles of arbitrary shape, composition, orientation and size distribution. Empirical equations for proton stopping power and X-ray production cross sections are used in conjunction with X-ray attenuation coefficients to calculate the intensity of the emergent beam. The uncertainty associated with the Monte Carlo calculation is also explored. It is shown that the spherical particle corrections are approximately correct for particles of near-spherical shape; however, they are inadequate for highly elongated or flattened particles or for particles of nonuniform composition.