Experimental assessment of effectively probed volume in confocal XRF spectrometry using microparticles

Poths, P., Chinea‐Cano, E., Dzigal, N., Darby, I. G., Osan, J. and Padilla‐Alvarez, R. (2019) Experimental assessment of effectively probed volume in confocal XRF spectrometry using microparticles. X-Ray Spectrometry, 48(5), pp. 553-560. (doi: 10.1002/xrs.3045)

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Abstract

Current approaches for assessing a confocal micro‐X‐rayfluorescence–probing volume involve the use of sharp knife edges, thin films, or wires, which are moved through this volume. The fluorescence radiation excited in the material of the object is measured, and profiles are built to enable the determination of the full width at half maximum in any of the three axes of the excited volume. Such approaches do not provide information on the shape of the volume, and the consequent alignment of both used lenses is made based on the position of the maxima of the registered intensity measurements. The use of particles that are smaller than the interaction volume (isolated enough to prevent the influence of nearby particles) and translated through the interaction volume (3D scan) is presented as an alternative methodology to determine the confocal probing volume. Spherical shaped uranium particles with diameter of 1–3 μm originally produced for scanning electron microscopy analysis calibration purposes were used in this study. The results obtained showed that the effectively probed confocal volume has a distinct prolate spheroidal shape that is longer in the axis of the confocal detector than it is wide on the axes of the plane perpendicular to it. The diameter in the longest axis (tilted accordingly to the angle between the two silicon drift detectors) was found to be approximately 25 μm, whereas the shorter was found about 15 μm each, with a volume of about 3,000 μm3.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:The experimental work was conducted as part of an internship program at Nuclear Science and Instrumentation Laboratory, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency. Ms Poths deeply thanks the NSIL for the provided opportunity.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Darby, Dr Iain
Authors: Poths, P., Chinea‐Cano, E., Dzigal, N., Darby, I. G., Osan, J., and Padilla‐Alvarez, R.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Journal Name:X-Ray Spectrometry
Publisher:Wiley
ISSN:0049-8246
ISSN (Online):1097-4539
Published Online:26 August 2019
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2019 International Atomic Energy Agency.
First Published:First published in X-Ray Spectrometry 48(5):553-560
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons license

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