A monolithic, polycapillary, x-ray optic was adapted to a laboratory-based x-ray microprobe to evaluate the potential of the optic for x-ray micro fluorescence analysis. The polycapillary was capable of collecting x-rays over a 6 degree angle from a point source and focusing them to a spot approximately 40 µm diameter. The high intensities expected from this capillary should be useful for determining and mapping minor to trace elements in materials. Fig. 1 shows a sketch of the capillary with important dimensions.The microprobe had previously been used with straight and with tapered monocapillaries. Alignment of the monocapillaries with the focal spot was accomplished by electromagnetically scanning the focal spot over the beveled anode. With the polycapillary it was also necessary to manually adjust the distance between the focal spot and the polycapillary.The focal distance and focal spot diameter of the polycapillary were determined from a series of edge scans.
