X-ray spectroscopic analysis apparatus and elementary analysis method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10948434-B2
Application number	US-201615370010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2015
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

An X-ray spectroscopic analysis apparatus includes: a radiation source configured to irradiate a predetermined irradiation area in the surface of a sample with an excitation beam for generating a characteristic X-ray; an analyzing crystal provided facing the irradiation area; a slit provided between the irradiation area and the analyzing crystal, the slit being parallel to the irradiation area and a predetermined crystal plane of the analyzing crystal; and an X-ray linear sensor including linear detection elements arranged in a direction perpendicular to the slit, the detection elements each having a length in a direction parallel to the slit. By detecting characteristic X-rays from different linear portions of the irradiation area for each wavelength, it is possible to perform analysis with sensitivity higher than the sensitivity of a conventional X-ray spectroscopic analysis apparatus that irradiates a point-like irradiation area with an excitation beam.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An elemental analysis method, comprising:
irradiating a predetermined irradiation area in a surface of a sample with an excitation beam, thereby generating characteristic X-rays from emission regions in the irradiation area, X-rays from each of emission regions having a range of wavelengths;
making the characteristic X-rays generated at the predetermined irradiation area partly pass through a slit such that X-rays through the slit originate from the emission regions and have the range of wavelengths;
making the X-rays through the slit enter into a planar analyzing crystal such that X-rays are selectively reflected on the analyzing crystal based on Bragg reflection law, the slit being provided between the irradiation area and the planar analyzing crystal and extending in a direction parallel to the irradiation area and a predetermined crystal plane of the planar analyzing crystal;
obtaining a wavelength spectrum of the reflected X-rays by simultaneously detecting intensities of X-rays from the analyzing crystal by one of linear detection elements, the detection elements collectively forming an X-ray linear sensor, respectively, the X-ray linear sensor being provided so that an average energy resolution becomes 2 eV or less by arranging the linear detection elements, each having a length in a direction parallel to the slit, in a direction perpendicular to the slit; and
one or both of identifying an element in the sample based on an energy of a peak of at least one of a Kα line, a Kβ line, an Lα line, and an Lβ line included in the wavelength spectrum, and determining an amount of the element based on an intensity of the peak, wherein
each wavelength of the reflected X-rays is detected by corresponding one of the linear detection elements of the X-ray linear sensor, the detected wavelengths each corresponding to different linear portions defined on the emission regions in the irradiation area.

2. The elemental analysis method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the peak is at least one of a Kα1 line, a Kα2 line, a Kβ1 line, a Kβ3 line, an Lα1 line, an Lα2 line, an Lβ1 line, and an Lβ2 line detected by the X-ray linear sensor.

3. The elemental analysis method according to claim 1 , further comprising
determining a valence of an element in the sample based on one or more of an energy of a peak included in the wavelength spectrum, an intensity of a satellite peak on a low-energy side of the peak, and an energy of the satellite peak.

4. The elemental analysis method according to claim 3 , further comprising measuring temporal changes in one or more of the energy of the peak, the intensity of the satellite peak, and the energy of the satellite peak, and determining temporal changes in a valence of the element in the sample based on the temporal changes.

Assignees

• Shimadzu Corp

Inventors

• Sato Kenji
• Nishimura Akihiro

Classifications

• G01N2223/056

  diffraction · CPC title

• G01N23/207 Primary

  Diffractometry using detectors, e.g. using a probe in a central position and one or more displaceable detectors in circumferential positions · CPC title

• G01N23/2076 Primary

  for spectrometry, i.e. using an analysing crystal, e.g. for measuring X-ray fluorescence spectrum of a sample with wavelength-dispersion, i.e. WDXFS · CPC title

• G01N23/223 Primary

  by irradiating the sample with X-rays or gamma-rays and by measuring X-ray fluorescence · CPC title

• G01N2223/0563

  measure of energy-dispersion spectrum of diffracted radiation · CPC title