Portable and Handheld Spectroscopy

Guest author John Coates describes handheld measurements performed using a palm-sized device that can be used either as an open-ended spectrometer or as a dedicated analyzer.

Although X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) has long been a tool of the laboratory, the past few years have seen a meteoric rise in the use of handheld XRF units for applications in which a portable unit can increase the speed and efficiency of the testing process. Some years ago, handheld instruments required the use of radioactive materials to provide a source of X-rays, but the development of low-power X-ray tubes has enabled this market to flourish by removing any apprehension about using regulated materials.

The authors review the science and technology of the latest generation of hand-held x-ray spectrometers and their analytical capabilities in alloy analysis.