title: ArtTAX--a new mobile spectrometer for energy-dispersive micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry on art and archaeological objects.
abstract: A newly developed spectrometer for energy-dispersive micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry has been designed for the demands of archaeometry. ArtTAX combines the advantages of non-destructive and sensitive multi-elemental analysis at sub-mm resolution with the possibility of working outside the laboratory. The spectrometer consists of an air-cooled, low-power molybdenum tube, new generation polycapillary X-ray optics, a silicon drift detector without the need for liquid-nitrogen cooling, a CCD camera, and three light diodes for sample positioning. The motor-driven measurement head is fixed on a x,y,z-flexible tripod support which can be assembled and dismantled within minutes. The spot size of the primary X-ray beam was determined to be 94 microm for the Cu(Kalpha) energy, the detection limits are in a range of a few tens of microg g(-1) for the medium energy-range in glass. Additional open helium purging in the excitation and detection paths enables the determination of elements down to sodium, thus avoiding vacuum conditions or a size-limiting sample chamber. A selection of qualitative and quantitative results on pigment, metal, glass, and enamel analyses are presented to show the potential of ArtTAX in the field of art and archaeology.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Berlin, Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, Germany. bronoecc@mailszrz.zrz.tu-berlin.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bronk
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Röhrs
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bjeoumikhov
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Langhoff
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmalz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wedell
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gorny
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Waldschläger