A portable micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with polycapillary optics and vacuum chamber for archaeometric and other applications

Abstract

A portable focused-beam XRF spectrometer was designed, constructed, and manufactured. The spectrometer allows to detect and perform analysis of chemical elements from Na upwards. The system is equipped with a compact vacuum chamber to reduce absorption of both the excitation and the fluorescence radiation in air. A low power Pd-anode tube operated up to 50 kV and 1 mA with a point focus of 400 μm is used as excitation source. A polycapillary lens with a spot size of about 160 μm, or a collimator with a 1 mm inner diameter can be used alternatively for either focusing or collimating the primary beam. The fluorescence radiation is collected by an Si drift detector with an active area of 10 mm 2 and equipped with an 8 μm Be entrance window. A compact vacuum chamber was designed to house the X-ray beam optics and the detector snout. The chamber is attached to the X-ray tube and can be pumped down to 0.1 mbar. A Kapton™ window of 7.5 μm thickness allows to locate the investigated spot at about 1–2 mm distance outside of the chamber, thus minimizing absorption losses in the excitation and X-ray fluorescence radiation paths. Two lasers pointers are mounted inside the chamber. The laser beams cross at a point outside the chamber in front of the entrance window and coincide with the focal spot of the polycapillary. This paper reports some preliminary results obtained from an in situ analysis of bronze samples as well as a comparison of these data with those given by other laboratory spectrometers and the reference values provided by the Italian bronze foundry Venturi Arte Bologna, Italy.