An x‐ray guide tube and a desk‐top scanning x‐ray analytical microscope

TLDR

The paper describes a method for fabricating an x‑ray guide tube and demonstrates its use in a desk‑top scanning x‑ray analytical microscope. The microscope uses a <10 µm x‑ray beam generated by a small tube and a parabolic‑contoured guide tube, directed vertically onto a sample on an x‑y stage, with transmitted, fluorescent, back‑scattered, and diffracted x‑rays simultaneously detected by NaI(Tl) and hp‑Si detectors to accumulate scanning images; subtracting fluorescent from transmitted images reveals lower layers, and diffracted x‑rays map crystal grains. The study demonstrates the microscope’s capability to image multilayer printed‑circuit boards and map crystal grains, illustrating its practical applications. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Abstract

A fine x-ray beam, less than 10 μm in diameter, was produced using a small x-ray tube and an x-ray guide tube (XGT) with a parabolic inner contour. The beam was directed vertically on to the sample, which was mounted on an x–y scanning stage. The transmitted x-rays were measured with an NaI(Tl) scintillation detector and the fluorescent, back-scattered and diffracted x-rays were simultaneously detected by an hp-Si detector. The scanning images of transmitted, fluorescent and other x-rays were obtained by accumulating the detected signals. A scanning image of the lower layer of a four-layer, printed-circuit board was obtained by subtracting the fluorescent x-ray image from the x-ray transmitted image. Using diffracted x-rays, distribution images of crystal grains could be made. The method for fabricating the XGT is described and examples of applications of a desk-top scanning x-ray analytical microscope are shown. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.