X-ray detection apparatus for X-ray fluorescence analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9116106-B2
Application number	US-201313861867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2013
Priority date	Apr 12, 2012
Publication date	Aug 25, 2015
Grant date	Aug 25, 2015

Abstract

The X-ray detection apparatus is equipped with an X-ray irradiation unit, an X-ray detector, and a movable collimator having a plurality of apertures. The collimator is provided with a window unit through which light passes, and the apertures and the window unit are aligned in one direction. The collimator moves in the direction so as to change the diameter of an aperture for narrowing X-rays from the X-ray irradiation unit to be used for irradiation of a sample and move to a position to allow an imaging unit to photograph a sample through the window unit. It becomes possible to photograph a sample even in a state where the X-ray irradiation unit, the X-ray detector and the collimator are positioned proximally to each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An X-ray detection apparatus comprising:
an X-ray irradiation unit;
a sample support unit structured to support a sample to be irradiated with X-rays from the X-ray irradiation unit;
an X-ray detector structured to detect X-rays generated from the sample;
an imaging unit structured to obtain an optical image of the sample supported by the sample support unit by receiving light which is reflected from the sample and is not coaxial with X-rays; and
a collimator which includes a plurality of apertures having different sizes and a window unit that light used for obtaining an optical image of the sample can pass through,
wherein the collimator moves to change an aperture that X-rays pass through and moves to shift the window unit to a position that allows the imaging unit to obtain an optical image of the sample through the window unit.

2. The X-ray detection apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of apertures and the window unit of the collimator are aligned in one direction, and
the collimator can move in said one direction.

3. The X-ray detection apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a shaft parallel to the one direction; and
a linear drive motor, which has a drive shaft parallel to said shaft, structured to drive the drive shaft linearly in a longitudinal direction,
wherein the shaft is connected with the drive shaft, and
the collimator is connected with the shaft.

4. The X-ray detection apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a sealed box in which an end part of the X-ray irradiation unit that X-rays exit from, an end part of the X-ray detector that X-rays enter through and the collimator are located,
wherein the shaft is piercing through a wall of the sealed box and is provided with a shaft seal structured to maintain a sealing condition.

5. The X-ray detection apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the sample support unit has a horizontal plate shape and has an X-ray transmissive window on which a sample is to be placed,
the imaging unit is located immediately below the sample support unit,
the collimator moves along an undersurface of the sample support unit,
the X-ray irradiation unit is located at a position to irradiate the X-ray transmissive window with X-rays from obliquely below, and
the X-ray detector is located at a position to detect X-rays which have been transmitted by the X-ray transmissive window obliquely downward.

6. The X-ray detection apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the window unit comprises a transparent plate.

7. An X-ray detection apparatus comprising:
an X-ray irradiation unit;
a sample support unit structured to support a sample to be irradiated with X-rays from the X-ray irradiation unit;
an X-ray detector structured to detect X-rays generated from the sample;
an imaging unit structured to obtain an optical image of the sample supported by the sample support unit;
a collimator which includes a plurality of apertures having different sizes and a window unit that light used for obtaining an optical image of the sample can pass through;
wherein the collimator moves to change an aperture that X-rays pass through and moves to shift the window unit to a position that allows the imaging unit to obtain an optical image of the sample through the window unit,
wherein the plurality of apertures and the window unit of the collimator are aligned in one direction,
the collimator can move in said one direction,
a shaft parallel to the one direction; and
a linear drive motor, which has a drive shaft parallel to said shaft, structured to drive the drive shaft linearly in a longitudinal direction,
wherein the shaft is connected with the drive shaft, and
the collimator is connected with the shaft.

8. An X-ray detection apparatus comprising:
an X-ray irradiation unit;
a sample support unit structured to support a sample to be irradiated with X-rays from the X-ray irradiation unit;
an X-ray detector structured to detect X-rays generated from the sample;
an imaging unit structured to obtain an optical image of the sample supported by the sample support unit; and
a collimator which includes a plurality of apertures having different sizes and a window unit that light used for obtaining an optical image of the sample can pass through,
wherein the collimator moves to change an aperture that X-rays pass through and moves to shift the window unit to a position that allows the imaging unit to obtain an optical image of the sample through the window unit,
the sample support unit has a horizontal plate shape and has an X-ray transmissive window on which a sample is to be placed,
the imaging unit is located immediately below the sample support unit,
the collimator moves along an undersurface of the sample support unit,
the X-ray irradiation unit is located at a position to irradiate the X-ray transmissive window with X-rays from obliquely below, and
the X-ray detector is located at a position to detect X-rays which have been transmitted by the X-ray transmissive window obliquely downward.

Assignees

• Horiba Ltd

Inventors

• Goto Satoru
• Komada Yoshito
• Nakajima Yoshiyuki

Classifications

• G01N2223/076

  X-ray fluorescence · CPC title

• G01N2223/317

  windows · CPC title

• G01N23/223 Primary

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

• G01N2223/316

  collimators · CPC title

• G01N2223/6113

  printed circuit board [PCB] · CPC title