Improved laboratory X‐ray source for microfluorescence analysis

An improved laboratory source, based on the use of Pyrex glass capillary tubes positioned very close to the anode of a high-brilliance microfocus x-ray tube, has been developed for x-ray microfluorescence analysis. Capillaries in the 10-100 pm range produced an intense beam with a uniform profile by propagation of the x-rays through the capillary via total reflection. The spectra were biased toward low energies when compared with the open-beam spectrum.