Temporary implementation and testing of a confocal SR-μXRF system for bone analysis at the X-ray Fluorescence beamline at Elettra

The confocal μXRF spectrometer of Atominstitut (ATI) was transported and set up at the X-ray Fluorescence beamline at Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste. It was successfully adjusted to the incoming beam (9.2  keV). Test measurements on a free-standing Cu wire were performed to determine the size of the focused micro-beam (non-confocal mode, 56 × 35  μm2) and the size of the confocal volume (confocal mode, 41×24×34 μm2) for the Cu-Kα emission. In order to test the setup's capabilities, two areas on different human bone samples were measured in confocal scanning mode. For one of the samples the comparison with a previous μ XRF measurement, obtained with a low power X-ray tube in the lab, is presented.