Study of bremsstrahlung radiation coming from a transmission type x-ray generator and its application on EDXRF technique

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the use of bremsstrahlung radiation from a portable transmission x-ray generator for non-destructive elemental analysis via EDXRF, with theoretical and experimental spectra in good agreement.

Contribution

First to generate and compare theoretical bremsstrahlung spectra from a portable transmission x-ray generator with experimental data for EDXRF applications.

Findings

Theoretical spectra match experimental observations across different voltages.

The developed computer program accurately determines elemental concentrations.

The technique is validated with real samples showing good agreement with known compositions.

Abstract

We have demonstrated the use of the bremsstrahlung radiation in energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence technique as a tool to perform non-destructive elemental analysis of solid samples employed in inter-disciplinary science research. The bremsstrahlung radiation can be taken from a small, portable, transmission type x-ray generator. As our knowledge goes, till date, this is the first attempt to generate bremsstrahlung spectrum theoretically from a portable transmission type x-ray generator and compared it with the actual observation. Theoretically generated bremsstrahlung spectra are also found to be in good agreement with the experimentally observed spectra obtained with various operating anode voltages of the x-ray generator. A computer program has been developed utilizing few atomic parameters to obtain the elemental concentrations in the sample by a single run using the whole bremsstrahlung. The knowledge of incoming x-ray flux, geometry of experimental arrangements is not required in this technique. To validate the technique, we have taken two samples: an Indian one rupee coin of the year 2000 and a NIST made brass sample, whose compositions are well known. We used these samples to expose to the bremsstrahlung radiation, produced by the operating anode voltages 20, 25, and 30 KV. The relative concentrations of different elements are determined, which is in good agreement with the earlier results.