Total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis

Total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis is a powerful analytical tool with respect to detectable elemental range, simplicity of quantification and detection limits. This includes the capacity to detect almost all elements of the periodic system, namely from boron to uranium. Even the highest-Z elements of the actinides can be detected. Quantitatively, the dynamic range covers several orders of magnitude, so ultra-trace element levels to major elemental concentrations can be determined.

In terms of detection limits, the levels of femtogram absolute detectable masses under optimized excitation–detection conditions can be reached. Some of these features can be topped with additional properties such as rapid analysis time of a few seconds and simultaneous detection of the elements present.

In some applications, non-destructiveness is of importance, e.g. while dealing with precious substances of cultural values from fine arts or also in cases of forensic investigations if only small amounts of sample are available. TXRF is an energy-dispersive XRF (EDXRF) technique, and excitation geometry with angles below the critical angle of total reflection is perfectly suited for these investigations.

Principle

The theory of x-ray total reflection is based on the phenomenon that at an incident angle below the critical angle the narrow collimated primary beam is totally reflected. A beam gets reflected from a flat polished surface of any material at the same angle as the incident one and has almost the same intensity as the primary beam (total intensity is reflected), except for a small portion that is refracted and penetrates the reflecting medium.

This evanescent wave loses intensity exponentially as it penetrates deeper into the medium. In Fig., the fundamental formalism of x-ray total reflection is shown, based on the Fresnel formalism and the complex index of refraction for x-rays, which is given below. The index of refraction for x-rays differs only slightly from 1, which is described theoretically by the value of Ď… which is in the range of 10-5 . For many materials the angles involved are small, typically a few milli radians or a tenth of a degree.

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