Sample area dependence in quantitative EDXRF analysis

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Abstract
The measurement of small, thin samples with an area of the order of mm2 with the ordinary EDXRF technique requires that special care be taken to include the sample size in the evaluation of element concentrations. Results are reported obtained using a standard procedure for the evalution of small samples used in the author's laboratory. This procedure makes use of an input parameter, viz. a ‘geometrical factor’ corresponding to the sample area which is used in the evaluation software. The results show that an almost straight line can be fitted to describe the parameter as a function of sample area for small samples (with an area of the order of mm2), but that the corrections for inhomogeneity of the beam intensity are needed in many cases. For large samples (with an area of the order of cm2) the parameter is equal to unity.