Other Spectroscopic Methods Using The Same Principle
It is also possible to create a characteristic secondary X-ray emission using other incident radiation to excite the sample:
- electron beam: electron microprobe (or Castaing microprobe);
- ion beam: particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE).
When radiated by an X-ray beam, the sample also emits other radiations that can be used for analysis:
- electrons ejected by the photoelectric effect: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), also called electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA)
The de-excitation also ejects Auger electrons, but Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) normally uses an electron beam as the probe.
Confocal microscopy X-ray fluorescence imaging is a newer technique that allow control over depth, in addition to horizontal and vertical aiming, for example, when analysing buried layers in a painting.
Read more about this topic: X-ray Fluorescence
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