Patent ID: 6404847
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer which comprises:a sample support for supporting thereon a sample to be analyzed; an X-ray source for irradiating the sample with primary X-rays to excite the sample to emit fluorescent X-rays therefrom; a spectroscopic device for monochromating the fluorescent X-rays emitted from the sample; a detector adapted to detect the fluorescent X-rays, which have been monochromated by the spectroscopic device, and to generate pulses of a voltage proportional to an energy of the fluorescent X-rays in a number proportional to an intensity of the fluorescent X-rays; a linkage means for linking the drive of the spectroscopic device and the detector to scan the sample and the detector continuously, by causing the monochromated fluorescent X-rays to be irradiated upon the detector while a wavelength of the fluorescent X-rays monochromated by the spectroscopic device varies; a pulse height analyzer for selecting the pulses, generated by the detector, which fall within a fixed voltage range; a scaler for determining a count of the pulses selected by the pulse height analyzer; a counting time counter for measuring a counting time required for the scaler to determine the count of the pulses; a frequency divider for generating a read-out signal for each of fixed scanning intervals in the linkage means; and a correction calculating means operable in response to the read-out signal from the frequency divider to read out the count of the pulses, determined by the scaler, and the counting time measured by the counting time counter, to correct the count of the pulses based on the counting time.