Fast Elemental Distribution Analysis with the Bruker M4 TORNADO

X-ray fluorescence analysis is a well established method for the determination of the elemental composition of samples of different origin. Bruker’s M4 TORNADO µ-XRF spectrometer adds more than a special touch to the method: With this instrument it is now possible to perform extremely fast spatially resolved element distribution measurements on a wide range of different sample categories. Applications include life sciences, geological and environmental samples (RoHS) and electronics.

High spatial resolution is attained through the use of high-brilliance X-ray tubes in combination with capillary optics to focus the radiation in a small spot. The M4 TORNADO can reach spot sizes down to 25 µm and simultaneously produce high radiation intensity. As samples are placed on a large high-speed stage, this permits 2D elemental analysis of samples through stage mapping. The M4 TORNADO maps samples on-the-fly, meaning the stage motion is not stopped for data acquisition. Using Bruker’s fast XFlash® silicon drift detectors measurement times as short as 1 ms can be realized for a point measurement. Altogether this results in the very short overall measurement times at high resolution mentioned above.

The M4 TORNADO records data in HyperMaps, Bruker’s version of hyperspectral imaging. This means that a complete spectrum is stored at each pixel of the map, thus allowing processing at any time after the measurement. Data evaluation can be done in multiple ways, for instance clustering several neighboring measurement spots for improved statistics, line scans and phase analysis. The software supports both qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis. Quantitative analysis uses a fundamental parameter based method for accurate composition determination.