A systematic study of the relative x-ray intensity ratios of the K- and L-s
eries lines was made on compounds of Fe, Pt and U to examine the influence
of chemical state on energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis. The mea
surements were done using an energy-dispersive Si(Li) detector with photon
excitation by radioisotopes, It was shown that reliable x-ray intensity rat
ios can be derived by employing well-defined experimental conditions. For F
e a significant dependence of the K alpha and K beta x-ray yields per incid
ent photon on the oxidation state of Fe was observed but no discernible eff
ect on the Fe K beta/K alpha intensity ratio was observed. Likewise, no sig
nificant effect of chemical state on the various L-series intensity ratios
of Pt and U was observed. For the L-series the seldom quoted intensity rati
os L beta(2)/L alpha, L beta(1)/L alpha, L eta/L alpha and L beta(6)/L alph
a were also measured and reported. The measured intensity ratios agree fair
ly well with the theoretical values of Scofield, Copyright (C) 2000 John Wi
ley & Sons, Ltd.