October 2014 Archives

The recipient of the 9th Asada Award, which is presented by the Discussion Group of X-ray Analysis, Japan, in memory of the late Professor Ei-ichi Asada (1924-2005) to promising young scientists in X-ray analysis fields in Japan, is Dr. Susumu Imashuku (Kyoto Univ.), "Portable electron probe microanalyzer using pyroelectric crystal". The ceremony was held during the 50th Annual Conference on X-Ray Chemical Analysis, at Tohoku University, Sendai.

So far, monochromatic X-rays have been used for 3D micro X-ray fluorescence analysis based on confocal geometry. Dr. P. Wrobel (AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland) and his colleagues have recently discussed the feasibility of polychromatic excitation. The research group described the full theoretical expression of matrix effects and geometrical effects for polychromatic X-ray photons in confocal arrangement. It was demonstrated that the introduction of effective energy approximation works well. For more information, see the paper, "Depth Profiling of Element Concentrations in Stratified Materials by Confocal Microbeam X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry with Polychromatic Excitation", P. Wrobel et al., Anal. Chem., 86, 11275 (2014).

Dr. F. P. Romano and his colleagues have reported full-field X-ray fluorescence imaging based on the principle of the pin-hole camera. The instrument consists of a low power X-ray source (W anode, 50kV-2mA), a pinhole (50 micron dia) and a CCD camera (back illuminated type, 1024 × 1024 pixels, pixel size 13 micron square). To obtain good energy resolution (133 eV at 5.9 keV), the research team took a number of images in single photon counting mode. The team also obtained a reasonable spatial resolution down to 30 microns. The system can change the magnification ratio from 0.35 to 6, depending on the viewing area of interest and the required spatial resolution. For more information, see the paper, "Macro and Micro Full Field X-Ray Fluorescence with an X-Ray Pinhole Camera Presenting High Energy and High Spatial Resolution", F. P. Romano et al, Anal. Chem., 86, 10892 (2014).