X-ray fluorescence analysis using synchrotron radiation (SYXRF)

The SYnchrotron X-Ray Fluorescence analysis (SYXRF) is a powerful tool for the analytical determination of trace element concentrations. By using synchrotron radiation instead of an X-ray tube, the sensitivity of the XRF method is greatly enhanced. This is due to the high intensity, spectral distribution, beam collimation and to background reduction by polarization effects. Excitation with the white spectrum as well as monoenergetic excitation are possible, which has significant influence on the obtained physical detection limits. Quantification of the results is possible by applying different models, including the recently developed Monte-Carlo simulation technique. Microbeam analysis is possible by collimating and focusing the beam to a spot size in the mu m range. By use of the recently developed capillary optics, an intensity gain can be achieved even for small beam sizes. The SYXRF method is presently used in numerous application fields, including geoscience, material sciences, biology, and examination of historical artefacts.