Free Webinar on Spatially Resolved µ-XRF – You Are Invited!

The analysis of inhomogeneous materials is of increasing importance, as the distribution of different constituents determines the macroscopic properties of materials. These include mechanical, electrical, optical or magnetic properties. To assure their properties the elemental composition of materials has to be analysed.

Micro X-ray fluorescence analysis (µ-XRF) is ideally suited for this application. The availability of X-ray optics allows the concentration of excitation radiation in spots down to 25 µm diameter with high intensity. The high intensity of excitation radiation has only a small influence on the sample and does not damage it. The excitation with X-rays permits high sensitivity for traces, all elements between sodium and uranium can be detected. The analysis of small sample areas enables distribution analysis in one or two dimensions – line scans and maps, respectively. Distribution analysis with high spatial resolution requires measurement of a large number of points with high intensity. For the instrument used, this results in the need for both high excitation intensity and count rate handling capability and also a high-speed stage for sample positioning. Additionally, fast acquisition and (offline) evaluation are important for efficient data management.

This webinar will introduce the Bruker M4 TORNADO, the high-performance µ-XRF spectrometer that combines the latest technology to meet the above requirements. It will begin with the explanation of the underlying physical principles of µ-XRF, including capillary optics, the influence of different parameters on spatial resolution and quantification, comparison of µ-XRF with other position sensitive analytical methods, and also talk about data handling.

The second part will deal with application example from different areas. We will discuss the examination of geological samples, failure analysis and the verification of the homogeneity of plastic standard samples.

This free webinar will take about one hour and is offered in two live sessions on 22 June 2011 for best viewing convenience in different time zones. Please follow the links to register:
Session I: 10 am CEST, 1:30 pm India Time, 4 pm China Time, 5 pm Japan / Korea Time
Session II: 11 am EST, 4 pm BST, 5 pm CEST