Handheld XRF Analyzers

XRF (X-ray fluorescence) is a method used to determine the elemental composition of materials. This can be achieved because different elements in a sample each generate a telltale set of fluorescent X-rays, and a spectrometer can be used to determine a sample’s composition based on the detection of specific signatures. The process begins with a solid or a liquid sample being irradiated with X-rays. When an atom in the test sample is hit with an X-ray of adequate energy, an electron is dislodged. To regain stability in the atom, an electron drops to a lower energy state by discharging a fluorescent X-ray. The energy of this X-ray is the same as the difference in energy between two quantum states of the electron. The measurement of this energy can be used to determine chemical composition.