Particle-induced X-ray emission using high energy ions with respect to microprobe application

Abstract Cross-sections for continuous and characteristic X-ray emission from heavy elements induced by 16 MeV protons and 70 MeV carbon ions are measured. The K- and L-line emission cross-sections are significantly increased compared to those of lower proton energies. The data are in satisfactory agreement with semi-empirical calculations for the proton beams while the experimental cross-sections for the 70 MeV carbon ions are up to one order of magnitude lower as calculated. The continuous X-ray background for protons can also be well described by theory taking into account the various sources of X-ray production by bremsstrahlung whereas again for carbon ions the background is overestimated by scaled theory. The sensitivity for particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) using high energy ions is within the same order of magnitude as that for the commonly used 1–3 MeV protons. However, 16 MeV proton beams may be better suited for PIXE analysis with submicron-sized beams due to the lower ion currents necessary from the increased X-ray production cross-sections and because the sample damage and lateral spread are reduced.