Patent ID: 7006596

Claim:
A spectrometer for detecting and quantifying elements in a sample, the spectrometer comprising: an exciter adapted to ionize atoms in the sample, the atoms thereby producing x-rays, a detector adapted to receive the x-rays and produce signals based on the x-rays, a filter system adapted to selectively block the x-rays from attaining the detector, where the selective blocking of the x-rays is accomplished based on an energy of the x-rays, the filter system including, a parabolic collimator having a smooth metallic surface disposed around the sample and adapted to collect the x-rays emitted from the sample, where the collimator absorbs x-rays having an energy greater than a first desired energy, and directs x-rays having an energy less than the first desired energy along a collimated beam, and a reflector adapted to receive the collimated beam from the collimator at an angle of incidence that is below a critical angle for energies of the x-rays in the collimated beam that are below a desired cutoff energy of about five hundred electron volts, thereby reflecting x-rays in the collimated beam with an energy less than the desired cutoff energy and absorbing x-rays in the collimated beam with an energy greater than the desired cutoff energy, and an analyzer adapted to receive the signals from the detector and to detect and quantify the elements in the sample based at least in part on the signals.