La/B ₄ C small period multilayer interferential mirror for the analysis of boron

Abstract

Abstract An La/B 4 C multilayer interferential mirror with small period d (4.8 nm) was produced by diode sputtering for the detection of the boron K emission by wavelength‐dispersive x‐ray spectrometry at a large Bragg angle (close to 45°). The structure of the mirror was characterized by grazing incidence x‐ray reflectometry and its performance at the energy of the boron K emission (183 eV) was evaluated by means of polarized synchrotron radiation. Spectrometric measurements showed that the La/B 4 C mirror improved the detection limit of boron using by a factor of 2 with respect to similar Mo/B 4 C mirrors and by a factor of 4 with respect to a lead stearate crystal. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.