STUDY OF MULTILAYERS BY PIXE TECHNIQUE - APPLICATION TO PAINTINGS

In this article we propose the application of a new algorithm to deter mine the concentration profile of colour pigments in painting. This is performed by PIXE technique at different proton energies. The algorit hm is based on the singular value decomposition of the matrix obtained by discretization of the integral equation for the concentration prof ile. To check this method, many paint multilayers of acrylic colours w ere prepared. First results obtained from different experiments at the AGLAE accelerator in the Palais du Louvre at Paris are presented: the nature and the thickness of each colour layer were determined with a good agreement. The analysis of easel paintings is in progress.