The advantages of using digital signal processing in polarized x-ray fluorescence analysis

Abstract

Improving the specificity and productivity of XRF is of great relevance for the determination of trace elements in samples of diverse origin. The advantages of using digital signal processing in energy-dispersive polarized x-ray fluorescence analysis are demonstrated by comparing the instrumental sensitivities achieved with those obtained by using a conventional analogue signal processing-based spectrometer. A compact geometry secondary target arrangement was designed to increase the effective solid angles and to reduce the distances between secondary target, sample and detector, thus achieving larger x-ray fluxes for both the excitation and detection process, resulting in improved instrumental sensitivities. The performance of both spectrometers was evaluated for two different detectors: an Si(Li) detector and a thermoelectrically cooled passivated-implanted planar silicon detector (X-PIPS). The uncertainties achieved and accuracy are illustrated for the analysis of a group of sediment and organic-origin certified reference materials using two different quantitative procedures. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.