X-Ray experimentation platform - The Tel-X-Ometer - Fraser's been buying again !

[Someone]

With regard to a G.M. tube that will operate well at the Tel-X-Ometer X-Ray energy levels, you need to find an ALPHA radiation sensitive tube that has a MICA window. The Mica window permits easy entry of the low energy X-Ray beam into the counting tube. Metal tubes without a Mica window will tend to attenuate the X-Ray beam as low energy X-Ray is attenuated easily by metal, including Aluminium.

There should be some tubes around with plastic (often metallised mylar/kapton) windows, perfectly good in the soft x-ray spectrum. Though it may have only become routine once semiconductor sensors arrived.

[evgeek]

I have a uA meter for this, I am planning to get RadioShack mono 3.5mm cable to hook up the monitor meter.

[helius]

With respect to possible "simple" X-ray experiments, what about a simple setup for XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) elemental analysis?
This technology can identify the atomic composition of a sample at a distance of a few inches, to determine what alloy is present, or to scan for the presence of specific materials (explosives etc). Not too much information on building them has been published so far.

[Fraser]

Hi Helius,

I think that is what this unit was really intended for.... materials analysis in the learning environment. There is an optional materials analysis camera (Powder camera?) and a modern upgrade to automate the test platform movement and record the results on a PC.

It can do far more than I will ever need. I am not even certain that I truly have the time for experiments to justify keeping it. It may get rehomed soon.

Fraser