X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer(ZSXpimusII)

X-ray fluorescence provides accurate quantitative data on the chemical composition of geologic samples.During x-ray fluorescence analysis, high energy x-ray photons produced in the x-ray tube bombarb the sample causing the ejection of electrons from their orbitals.Fluorescence occurs when energy is given off as outer shell electrons drop down to replace inner shell electrons that have been ejected. The amount of energy lost as a result of each such electron transition, along with its related wavelength, are specific to each particular element. Within the x-ray spectrometer, a crystal with a known lattice spacing is used as a diffraction grating that allows through only one x-ray wavelength at any given diffraction angle. Because the x-ray wavelengths produced by fluorescence are unique to each element, this diffraction restricts all energy except for that of the element of interest from reaching the detector. Therefore, any signal that is picked up by the detector can be attributed to the element of interest. The more there is of that element in a sample, the more electron transitions that can occur, and the more signal that will be produced. The amount of signal that is received is compared to calibration curves, which are plots of the amount of energy received vs. weight percent for standards with known compositions.