X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Specific application – Diffraction – reflection – or scattering analysis
Patent
1997-03-19
1999-11-02
Church, Craig E.
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Specific application
Diffraction, reflection, or scattering analysis
378 84, 378145, G01T 136
Patent
active
059784458
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a spectrometer for X-radiation.
It is known from physics textbooks (e.g. Christian Gerthsen: "Physik [Physics]," Ninth Edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York (1966), pp. 404 et seq.) that an X-ray beam (wavelength approximately 10-8 cm) is reflected with diffraction upon impact on a ruled grating (e.g. 200 lines/mm) at a flat angle (e.g. 10'). It is also known that radiation diffracts as it passes through a screen, with the diffraction being a function of the radiation wavelength.
A spectrometer for X-radiation comprising a disk which is impervious to X-radiation and is %provided with a plurality of channels is known from Rev. Sci. Instrum. 58 (1), 1987, pp. 43-44.
Known from Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B82, 1993, pp. 121-124 is a spectrometer for X-radiation that comprises an arched disk which is impervious to X-radiation and has a convex and a concave surface provided with a plurality of channels (capillaries) that point toward a common point.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to propose a further spectrometer with the aid of which a spectrum of X-radiation is attained.
In accordance with the invention, the object is accomplished by providing a spectrometer having an arched disk comprised of a material impervious to X-radiation. The disc has a convex and a concave surface, and has a plurality of through bores. Each bore extends from the convex to the concave surface and has a maximum diameter of 50 .mu.m. Each bore further has a longitudinal axis that essentially points toward one of a common line and common point located opposite the concave surface. Means are provided that engage the arched disc for altering an arching of the disc so that a distance of the common line or common point from the concave surface is changed.
A component of the spectrometer according to the invention is an arched disk which is impervious per se to X-radiation and includes a plurality of channels or bores therethrough, each having a maximum diameter of 50 .mu.m and disposed in such a way that they point toward a common line or common point. Because of the arching, the disk has a concave and a convex surface. The common line or common point is located opposite the concave surface of the disk. The thickness of the disk can be less than 1 cm, and even less than 1 mm with soft X-radiation.
Surprisingly, it has been seen that the channels of the known disk are only permeable to a single wavelength range of a continuous X-radiation. Through which wavelength range of the continuous X-radiation the spectrometer passes is a function of the degree of arching of the spectrometer. If a parallel X-ray beam having a continuous wavelength impacts on the convex surface of the disk, the disk, having predetermined arching, is only permeable to radiation of a specific wavelength range, while the other wavelength ranges are absorbed. The radiation of the wavelength range that penetrates the disk is focussed on the common line or in the common point. The present invention proposes providing an additional device with the aid of which the arching of the disk can be altered which offers the possibility of focussing consecutive individual wavelength ranges on the concave side of the arched disk.
The disk material should be impervious to X-radiation. In general, this condition is met by glass. Plastics such as polycarbonate are suitable for soft X-radiation.
In a first embodiment, the disk can be arched such that it forms part of the jacket surface of a cylinder, so that its cross-section represents a portion of a circle, for example a third or a quarter of a circle. In this case, the channels point toward a common line, namely the axis of the cylinder, and are disposed perpendicularly to the disk. In this case the device effects a change in the cylinder diameter. In a second, improved embodiment, the disk is arched such that all of the channels point toward a common point, the focal point. In this case the concave side forms a rad
REFERENCES:
patent: 5192869 (1993-03-01), Kumakhov
Jakobi, deceased Waldemar
Schultheiss Christoph
Church Craig E.
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH
Kunitz Norman N.
LandOfFree
Spectrometer for X-radiation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Spectrometer for X-radiation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Spectrometer for X-radiation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2146088