X-ray Physics

Abstract

In this introductory chapter, the basic concepts and processes of x-ray physics that relate to x-ray spectrometry are presented. Special emphasis is on the emission of the continuum and characteristic x-rays as well as on the interactions of photons with matter. In the latter, only major processes of the interactions are covered in detail, and the cross sections for different types of interactions and the fundamental parameters for other processes involved in the emission of the characteristic x-rays are given by the analytical expressions and=or in a tabulated form. Basic equations for the intensity of the characteristic x-rays for the different modes of x-ray spectrometry are also presented (without derivation). Detailed expressions relating the emitted intensity of the characteristic x-rays to the concentration of the element in the specimen are discussed in the subsequent chapters of this handbook dedicated to specific modes of x-ray spectrometry.