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

该小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将专注于开发用于X射线荧光（micro-XRF）分析应用的微焦点X射线激发光束系统。由此产生的仪器将在狭窄的能带中产生具有高通量的双能X射线。 Micro-XRF是一种功能强大、非破坏性且广泛使用的技术，用于确定元素组成和元素映射，其依赖于测量当原子被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。 这种方法用于广泛的应用，包括采矿，半导体，法医，材料研究，甚至生物研究。 该项目将使Micro-XRF系统的开发能够在大范围的原子序数（Z）范围内大幅提高元素检测灵敏度，并具有更高的空间分辨率。该项目的智力价值是开发一种同轴双镜系统，该系统将以高空间分辨率和高通量将两束不同能量的X射线束聚焦到样品上，能够显著提高空间分辨率并增强微X射线荧光分析（micro-XRF）应用的成分点分析和绘图能力。拟议的项目将为微型XRF的用户带来三大优势：1）通过利用两个X射线能量范围，对低原子序数和高原子序数元素具有高分析灵敏度，2）由于改进的光学设计，X射线通量高，以及3）更长的工作距离，这将增加灵活性并易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.