Capillary optics and their use in x-ray analysis

The use of polycapillary lenses in x-ray microanalysis and x-ray diffractometry is considered, Lenses with focal spot diameters from 0.5-1 mm down to 5-10 mu m ensure an increased flux on the sample under investigation by 2-3 orders of magnitude. The combination of a standard microfocus x-ray tube of 50-100 W power with such a lens permits fluxes to be obtained comparable to those at workstations for microanalysis attached to a synchrotron, The use of polycapillary lenses requires specialized x-ray tubes. A new type of tube for obtaining a high photon flux with low divergence has been developed. The possibility of realizing new high-efficiency portable x-ray spectrometers and diffractometers based on polycapillary optics is considered. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.