Quantitative Characteristic X-Ray Analysis for Different Compound Samples by Using Monte Carlo Method

Abstract

X-ray spectrometry is an elemental analysis technique with broad application in science and industry. It is based on the principle that individual atoms, when excited by an external energy source emit X-ray photons of a characteristic energy or wavelength. Here we obtained the characteristic X-ray peaks of different brass compounds and compared the intensity of characteristic peaks by changing with Zn rate. In this study we modelled different brass samples by using Monte Carlo method and changed the zinc rate in brass samples for each compound. We obtained the characteristic X-ray peaks of different compounds and compared the intensity of characteristic peaks by changing with Zn rate. We achieved a good agreement between peak intensity and corresponding element rate in compound. Also we obtained that characteristic peak rate increases by corresponding element rate in compound. This study shows that Monte Carlo method is very effective method to simulate material features due to their characteristic peaks and their intensities. DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.132.439 PACS/topics: Monte Carlo, characteristic X-ray, brass 1. Introduction X-rays occur when the fast electrons interact with matter. During this process, kinetic energy of electrons is basically converted into heat energy but some is also converted into electromagnetic energy in the form of photons. X-ray photons are a form of electromagnetic radiation produced after the ejection of an inner orbital electron and following transition of atomic orbital electrons from states of high to low energy. When a monochromatic beam of X-ray photons falls onto a specimen some basic phenomena may result in some effects such as absorption, scatter and fluorescence. These three phenomena forms are the basis of three important X-ray methods: the absorption technique is the basis of radiographic analysis, the scattering effect is the basis of X-ray diffraction, and the fluorescence effect is the basis of XRF spectrometry. When high energy photons (X-rays or gammarays) are absorbed by atoms, inner shell electrons are ejected from the atom, becoming photoelectrons [1]. This leaves the atom in an excited state, with a vacancy in the inner shell. Outer shell electrons then fall into the vacancy, emitting photons with energy equal to the energy difference between the two states. Since each element has a unique set of energy levels, each element emits a pattern of X-rays characteristic of the element, termed characteristic X-rays. Figure 1 shows the generation of the characteristic X-ray from atomic orbit. The intensity of the X-rays increases with the concentration of the corresponding element.