Ch.15summary-PaceUniversityWebspace.docVIP

Chapter 12 X-Ray Spectrometry X-Rays are short wavelength electromagnetic radiation produced by the deceleration of high energy electrons or by electronic transitions of electrons in the inner orbital of atoms. The wavelength range of X-rays is from about 10-5? to 100 ?; conventional X-ray spectroscopy is largely confined to the region of about 0.1 ? to 25 ?. X-ray spectroscopy is a form of optical spectroscopy that utilizes emission, absorption, scattering, fluorescence, and diffraction of X-ray radiation The basics... X-rays are short-wavelength (hence, high frequency, and hence, relatively high energy) electromagnetic radiation. Two ways to produce X-rays: 1) Deceleration of high-energy electrons 2) Electronic transitions involving inner-orbital (e.g. - d or f) electrons Approximate wavelength range: 10-6 nm - 10 nm Wavelength range used in conventional applications: 0.01 nm - 2.5 nm X-rays are the shortest wavelength, i.e., highest energy, electromagnetic radiation associated with electronic transitions in atoms. Calculation of the energy states of an atom is in general, very difficult, except of course in the particular case of the hydrogen atom, where the problem is readily soluble and the results, shown schematically below, are very well known. The orbital picture of the H-atom associated with this energy level diagram is readily extended to multi-electron atoms and the again familiar result is qualitatively represented below. Energy levels of many electron atoms in the periodic table. The insert shows a magnified view of the order near Z = 20. An important feature of both the above diagrams is that the differences in orbital energies decrease as they themselves increase. This means that the energy required for excitation, or given out on relaxation of an electron from a higher orbital to a lower orbital is greater when inner orbitals are involved and least when outer orbitals are involved. Except for light elements (say, those precedi