US 12,360,067 B2
X-ray fluorescence system and x-ray source with electrically insulative target material
Wenbing Yun, Walnut Creek, CA (US); Benjamin Donald Stripe, Walnut Creek, CA (US); Frances Yenan Su, Walnut Creek, CA (US); Vikaram Singh, Concord, CA (US); Sylvia Jia Yun Lewis, San Francisco, CA (US); and Janos Kirz, Berkeley, CA (US)
Assigned to Sigray, Inc., Benicia, CA (US)
Filed by Sigray, Inc., Concord, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/175,171.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/268,778, filed on Mar. 2, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0280291 A1, Sep. 7, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 23/223 (2006.01); G01N 23/2204 (2018.01); H01J 35/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 23/223 (2013.01) [G01N 23/2204 (2013.01); H01J 35/112 (2019.05); G01N 2223/076 (2013.01); G01N 2223/1016 (2013.01); G01N 2223/204 (2013.01); G01N 2223/206 (2013.01); H01J 2235/081 (2013.01); H01J 2235/084 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
a stage configured to support a sample comprising at least first and second atomic elements, the first atomic element having a first characteristic x-ray line with a first energy, the second atomic element having a second characteristic x-ray line with a second energy, the second energy greater than the first energy, the first energy and the second energy lower than 8 keV and separated from one another by less than 1 keV;
an x-ray source comprising at least one target material configured to produce x-rays having a third energy between the first and second energies;
at least one x-ray optic configured to receive and focus at least some of the x-rays from the x-ray source as an x-ray beam to illuminate the sample, the x-ray beam having a spot size at the sample in a range of 1 micron to 25 microns, at least 70% of the x-ray beam having x-ray energies that are below the second energy; and
at least one x-ray detector configured to detect fluorescence x-rays produced by the sample in response to being irradiated by the x-ray beam.