Abstract: The invention is an improved energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer comprising x-ray source (10), sample (12), optics (20) and detector (16). The improvement comprises the use of optics using the principle of total external reflection for delivering an increased flux of x-rays onto the detector. These flux concentrating optics are generally shaped as tubes having a figure of revolution as a longitudinal cross section such as a cone, parabola, hyperbola, ellipsoid and others. These optics may also be used as low energy pass filters by incorporating a stop (22) at or near the aperture of the optic. The reflecting surface of the flux concentrator optic may be selected from the group of metals and their alloys, the choice made to optimize the optic's performance.

Abstract: The invention claimed is a collimator for x-rays and the fabrication process for said collimator. The collimator, in its preferred embodiment, displays the general shape of a tube, having two apertures, an entrance aperture and an exit aperture. The walls of the collimator tube are not parallel to each other but rather are paraboloidal in longitudinal section. The geometry of the collimator tube is, therefore, circular in transverse cross-section and paraboloidal in longitudinal section, thereby resulting in a tube whose entrance aperture is of a smaller diameter than its exit aperture. The collimator geometry described is referred to herein as a tubular paraboloid.

Abstract: The invention claimed is a collimator for x-rays and the fabrication process for said collimator. The collimator, in its preferred embodiment, displays the general shape of a tube, having two apertures, an entrance aperture and an exit aperture. The walls of the collimator tube are not parallel to each other but rather are paraboloidal in longitudinal section. The geometry of the collimator tube is, therefore, circular in transverse cross-section and paraboloidal in longitudinal section, thereby resulting in a tube whose entrance aperture is of a smaller diameter than its exit aperture. The collimator geometry described is referred to herein as a tubular paraboloid.