Next-Generation, Portable XRF System--Photon Imaging, Inc., 19355 Business Center Drive, Suite 8, Northridge, CA 91324-3503; 818-709-2468
Dr. Jan S. Iwanczyk, Principal Investigator
Dr. Bradley E. Patt, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-99ER82853
Amount: $750,000

A truly portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer would significantly help reduce the cost of treatment and disposal of hazardous metal contaminants by providing improved characterization technology. This project will develop an XRF analyzer with unprecedented accuracy. By using an increased sampling frequency, statistical errors will be reduced. Not only will there be significant reductions in cost and time, environmental and personnel risks will be reduced by eliminating manual sample taking, transportation, and laboratory analysis of contaminated material. Phase I designed and constructed a next-generation, miniature x-ray spectrometer that incorporated a novel large-area, silicon drift x-ray detector and a thermoelectric cooler. X-ray response to wide range of energies (1.5-25 keV) showed comparable energy resolution to that of cryogenically-cooled germanium or lithium-doped silicon detector systems. In Phase II, the finalized XRF instrument will be developed. It will contain an optimized detector, excitation sources, processing electronics, and supporting software for automated data collection and XRF analysis.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: New x-ray detectors and XRF instruments with high energy resolution, high count rate throughput, and near room temperature operation could open up numerous important market opportunities in environmental contamination monitoring, process control and materials identification, and electron column instruments.