Measurement of foil and cable thicknesses by a transmission method

X-ray fluorescence analysis techniques can be applied to determine sample t hickness by either absolute or relative methods. An absolute method for thi ckness determination by x-ray fluorescence analysis has been devised, based on two types of independent measurements of the fluorescence intensity of the constituents of the sample and performance of transmission and reflecti on irradiation setups. In the present work, a method for determination of the average thickness of material between a gamma-ray source and a detector is presented. The thick nesses of Au, Ag, and Cu foils, and Cu cables have been calculated by a tra nsmission method. An Am-241 radioisotope source and a Si(Li) detector have been used. The method has high accuracy and is easy to use, it is non-destructive towa rds the sample, and it allows one to the control the sample thickness. To a ssess the reliability of the method, the results obtained are compared with the results obtained with a micrometer. The results are in good agreement with each other, within the estimated experimental error.