SBIR Phase I: Development of a Dual Energy Micro-focused X-ray Excitation Beam for Chemical Analysis and Materials Characterization

这一小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将侧重于开发一种系统，用于产生用于X射线荧光(Micro-XRF)分析应用的微焦点X射线激发束。由此产生的仪器将在一个狭窄的能带内产生高通量的双能X射线。Micro-XRF是一种强大的、非破坏性的、广泛使用的元素组成和元素图谱测定技术，它依赖于对原子在X射线、电子或其他电离粒子激发时产生的特征荧光X射线的测量。这种方法被广泛应用于采矿、半导体、法医学、材料研究，甚至生物研究。该项目将使微型X射线荧光系统的开发大大提高元素在大范围原子序数(Z)上的探测灵敏度，并具有更高的空间分辨率。预计拟议的产品将显著影响目前9亿美元的X射线荧光市场的一半以上。该项目的智力优势是开发了一种同轴双镜系统，该系统将以高空间分辨率和高通量将两个不同能量的X射线束聚焦到样品上，从而大幅提高空间分辨率，并增强微型X射线荧光分析(Micro-XRF)应用程序的成分光点分析和测绘能力。拟议的项目将为微型XRF的用户带来三大优势：1)利用两个x射线能量范围，对低原子序数元素和高原子序数元素都具有高分析灵敏度；2)改进光学设计，提高x射线通量；3)工作距离更长，这将增加灵活性，并便于将新设备集成到现有设备中。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will focus on the development of a system for generating microfocus x-ray excitation beams for X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) analysis applications. The resulting instrument will create dual-energy x-rays with high flux in a narrow energy band. Micro-XRF is a powerful, non-destructive, and widely used technique for the determination of elemental composition and elemental mapping, which relies on the measurement of characteristic fluorescent x-rays generated when atoms are excited by x-rays, electrons or other ionizing particles. This method is used in a broad range of applications including mining, semiconductor, forensics, materials research, and even biological research. The project will enable development of Micro-XRF systems with substantially improved elemental detection sensitivity over a large range of atomic numbers (Z) and with higher spatial resolution. The proposed product is expected to significantly impact more than half of the current $900 million x-ray fluorescence market.The intellectual merit of this project is the development of a coaxial dual mirror system which will focus two x-ray beams of different energies onto the sample at high spatial resolution and high flux, enabling a substantial improvement in spatial resolution and enhancing the compositional spot analysis and mapping capabilities of micro X-ray fluorescence analysis (micro-XRF) applications. The proposed project will result in three major advantages for users of micro-XRF: 1) high analytical sensitivity to both low- and high-atomic number elements by the utilization of two x-ray energy ranges, 2) high x-ray flux due to improved optical design, and 3) a longer working distance which will add flexibility and ease integration of the new device into existing equipment.