Preliminary experiment of total reflection x-ray fluorescence using two glancing x-ray beams excitation

In conventional total reflection x-ray fluorescence (TXRF), one glancing x- ray beam irradiates the sample carrier for excitation of x-ray fluorescence . However, it is also possible to excite x-ray fluorescence by multiple x-r ay beams. We performed a preliminary TXRF experiment excited by two indepen dent glancing x-ray beams. The two x-ray beams excitation would be effectiv e to enhance the intensity of x-ray fluorescence and to improve the detecti on limit in TXRF. X rays from both a rotating Mo anode x-ray tube and a glo w discharge x-ray tube with an Fe target irradiated a Cr thin film sample o n a quartz glass. The x-ray fluorescence of Cr K alpha from the sample was slightly enhanced compared with the intensity measured by one x-ray beam ex citation. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(99)01103-X].