Possibilities offered by simultaneous use of PIXE and PIGE methods in elementary analysis

The PIGE method applied to the analysis of the light elements Li, B, F, Na, Al, and Si using protons was evaluated. For the quantitative analysis, the models of Ishii et al (1978) of activation by accelerated particles are used. The PIXE and PIGE methods were used simultaneously to analyse standard glasses and obsidians. For PIGE analysis, the Ishii model is an excellent approximation and gives precise results for certain cases. For PIXE, assimilation of light elements (Z<13) to oxygen does not introduce any significant error for Z<20 elements. For the others, deviations are observed, especially for high concentrations of light elements. Simultaneous use of the two methods allows the range of elements analyzed to be extended, and stopping power to be calculated. It is limited by the fact that the number of nuclear reactions which can be used is defined by the projectile. Thus in the present case based on the use of 1 to 3.5 MeV protons, analysis of N and 0 is excluded