Progress in total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry at Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectroscopy has attracted interest in recent years. Using this technique, almost all elements ranging from sodium (Z = 11) to uranium (Z = 92) in the periodic table can be detected and analysed in a wide concentration range in a single measurement. The present state-of-the-art sensitivities of TXRF are stretched to femtogram range by employing synchrotron radiation as an excitation source. This article aims to provide a basic overview of the TXRF technique to the general readers. We describe a TXRF spectrometer developed in a laboratory source. An X-ray fluorescence-microprobe beamline for TXRF is being constructed, as an extension of this activity, on the Indian synchrotron source, Indus-2. (author)