IP Library Granted Patent US 12,687,508
Granted Patent B2
US 12,687,508 · App. 18/858,747 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

X-ray fluorescence spectrometer

Inventor: Keijiro Suzuki (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
G01N23/223G01N2223/303
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,687,508
App. No.
18/858,747
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer includes: a sample stage; an X-ray tube that radiates excitation X-rays toward the sample stage; a detector that detects fluorescent X-rays emitted from a sample on the sample stage; and a control device that controls the X-ray tube and the detector. Assuming that an intensity of X-rays that are part of the fluorescent X-rays, of a material of an X-ray tube target, emitted from the X-ray tube and are Rayleigh scattered by the sample placed on the sample stage is defined as IR and that an intensity of X-rays that are Compton scattered is defined as IC, when the control device creates a calibration curve by irradiating the standard sample with the excitation X-rays from the X-ray tube and when a value of IR/IC obtained for the standard sample is out of a reference range, the control device issues a warning.

Claims (31)

1 . An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer that analyzes a constituent element of a sample, the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer comprising:

a sample stage on which the sample is placed;

an X-ray tube including a target that emits X-rays when receiving thermal electrons, the X-ray tube radiating, toward the sample stage, excitation X-rays containing fluorescent X-rays of a material of the target; and

a detector that detects fluorescent X-rays emitted from the sample on the sample stage; and

a control device that controls the X-ray tube and the detector, wherein

an intensity of X-rays that are part of the fluorescent X-rays from the target material and are Rayleigh scattered by the sample placed on the sample stage is defined as IR,

an intensity of X-rays that are part of the fluorescent X-rays from the target material and are Compton scattered by the sample placed on the sample stage is defined as IC, and

the control device is configured to issue a warning, when the control device creates a calibration curve by irradiating a standard sample with the excitation X-rays from the X-ray tube and when a value of IR/IC obtained for the standard sample is out of a first reference range, wherein

the first reference range is a range determined in advance for a base material of the standard sample, and is stored in the control device.

2 . An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer that analyzes a constituent element of a sample, the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer comprising:

a sample stage on which the sample is placed;

an X-ray tube including a target that emits X-rays when receiving thermal electrons, the X-ray tube radiating, toward the sample stage, excitation X-rays containing fluorescent X-rays of a material of the target; and

a detector that detects fluorescent X-rays emitted from the sample on the sample stage; and

a control device that controls the X-ray tube and the detector, wherein

an intensity of X-rays that are part of the fluorescent X-rays from the target material and are Rayleigh scattered by the sample placed on the sample stage is defined as IR,

an intensity of X-rays that are part of the fluorescent X-rays from the target material and are Compton scattered by the sample placed on the sample stage is defined as IC, and

the control device is configured to issue a warning, when the control device creates a calibration curve by irradiating a standard sample with the excitation X-rays from the X-ray tube and when a value of IR/IC obtained for the standard sample is out of a first reference range, wherein

the sample stage includes a plurality of opening portions each of which is provided with an opening, and a sample is allowed to be placed on each of the plurality of opening portions, and

the control device is configured to create the calibration curve by sequentially irradiating a plurality of standard samples each placed on one of the plurality of opening portions with the excitation X-rays from the X-ray tube.

3 . The X-ray fluorescence spectrometer according to claim 2 , wherein the first reference range is determined based on an average value and a standard deviation of IR/IC obtained for each of a plurality of standard samples each placed on one of the plurality of opening portions when the calibration curve is created.

4 . The X-ray fluorescence spectrometer according to claim 1 , wherein, after the calibration curve is created, the control device is configured to issue a warning when a value of IR/IC obtained by measuring the sample is out of the first reference range.

5 . An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer that analyzes a constituent element of a sample, the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer comprising:

a sample stage on which the sample is placed;

an X-ray tube including a target that emits X-rays when receiving thermal electrons, the X-ray tube radiating, toward the sample stage, excitation X-rays containing fluorescent X-rays of a material of the target; and

a detector that detects fluorescent X-rays emitted from the sample on the sample stage; and

a control device that controls the X-ray tube and the detector, wherein

an intensity of X-rays that are part of the fluorescent X-rays from the target material and are Rayleigh scattered by the sample placed on the sample stage is defined as IR,

an intensity of X-rays that are part of the fluorescent X-rays from the target material and are Compton scattered by the sample placed on the sample stage is defined as IC, and

the control device is configured to issue a warning, when the control device creates a calibration curve by irradiating a standard sample with the excitation X-rays from the X-ray tube and when a value of IR/IC obtained for the standard sample is out of a first reference range, wherein,

during a creation of the calibration curve using a plurality of standard samples, the control device is configured to issue a warning when an analysis point is out of a second reference range defined with respect to a provisional calibration curve, the analysis point being obtained by a fluorescent X-ray intensity of an analysis target component and a concentration of the analysis target component, the fluorescent X-ray intensity being obtained by measuring a determination target standard sample, the concentration being registered for the determination target standard sample, and

the provisional calibration curve is a calibration curve created using the plurality of standard samples or a calibration curve created using a sample obtained by removing the determination target standard sample from the plurality of standard samples.