Some experiments on x-ray fluorescence for the student laboratory

Abstract

In this article some undergraduate laboratory experiments based on x-ray fluorescence are described. The characteristic x rays have been induced by irradiating the samples with 59.54-keV gamma rays from an 241Am radioisotope and analyzed with a planar Ge detector. Typical results from student experiments are presented. Variation of the fluorescence x-ray intensity with thickness has been studied for Ag and AgBr samples. These data are then used to determine absorption coefficients for AgKα x rays in the two samples and relative concentration of Ag and Br in the AgBr sample. Some comments on the quantitative analysis from x-ray fluorescence are also made.