Synchrotron X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis

Definition

Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence refers to the emission of fluorescent X-ray resulting from a sample being bombarded with monochromatic X-rays generated from a synchrotron particle accelerator.

Introduction

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is a technique based on the analysis of secondary emission of photons with an X-ray frequency (known as X-ray fluorescence) from a given sample. As a result of a primary interaction with an X-ray excitation source, inner shell electrons are ejected from the atom leaving a “hole” (or vacant orbital) in the inner orbitals. The electrons ionized in this manner are therefore referred to as photoelectrons, and the vacant orbital left by this interaction is referred as core hole. Electrons from higher orbitals decay, filling the core hole so that the atom is brought back to its lowest energy state. In order to balance the energy given by the electron decay, a photon is produced having a frequency in the X-ray range. The frequency (or energy) of...