HOPG as powerful x‐ray optics

Abstract

Abstract A new method of producing strongly bent highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) is presented. The method allows one to make a crystal of almost arbitrary shape, but has some thickness limits. A review of the results obtained on this type of crystal by different laboratories during the last 10 years is given. An x‐ray intensity gain from a synchrotron radiation source and Mo Kα tube beams of one order of magnitude could be achieved when using a crystal of optimized shape. The application of the crystals for secondary monochromatization in EDXRF improves by one order of magnitude the detection limits for the elements of interest. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.