MATRIX DETERMINATION WITH SCATTERED TUBE LINES

In quantitative x-ray spectrometry, knowledge of primary and secondary absorption of radiation by the sample matrix is needed. As the mass a ttenuation coefficient of the matrix cannot be determined directly, a relative mass attenuation coefficient, the matrix factor M has been in troduced, which can be determined experimentally using a matrix equati on that has been established previously, This paper presents a method for determining a matrix equation which is a simple polynomial express ion with parameters easily obtainable with few standard samples of kno wn composition, The matrix factor of an unknown sample may then be det ermined with an accuracy of <3% mean error without additional preparat ion using only one standard sample. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd .