Enhanced Spectral Resolution for Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) Power Supplies

Abstract This article addresses the critical role of high-voltage (HV) power supplies in improving the spectral resolution of EDXRF systems, which are widely used for elemental analysis. Voltage stability and current ripple of HV supplies directly affect X-ray source intensity consistency, a key factor in resolving overlapping spectral peaks.
Introduction EDXRF technology enables non-destructive elemental detection in fields like environmental monitoring and alloy analysis. However, traditional HV supplies often exhibit ±0.5% voltage fluctuation, leading to blurred spectral peaks—especially for light elements (e.g., Mg, Al) with adjacent characteristic energies.
Technical Challenges Two primary issues limit spectral resolution: 1) High ripple current (>500μA) in HV supplies causes X-ray intensity instability, increasing peak broadening; 2) Slow voltage response (>100ms) fails to adapt to dynamic sample composition changes, resulting in inaccurate peak fitting.
Optimization Strategies A multi-stage optimization approach is proposed:
1.Implement an adaptive voltage regulation module with a precision feedback loop (error <0.1%), using a digital signal processor (DSP) to real-time correct voltage deviations.
1.Integrate a low-pass LC filter with a common-mode choke to reduce ripple current to <50μA, minimizing X-ray intensity noise.
1.Adopt a fast-response HV module (response time <10ms) to adjust output based on sample-induced X-ray flux variations, coupled with advanced deconvolution algorithms to separate overlapping peaks.
Application Validation Tests on an EDXRF system for soil heavy metal detection showed:
Spectral resolution for Mg Kα (1.25keV) improved by 35%, from 0.18keV to 0.117keV full width at half maximum (FWHM).
Detection limit for Pb (10.5keV) reduced from 5ppm to 2ppm, meeting environmental monitoring standards.
Conclusion The optimized HV supply enhances EDXRF spectral resolution by stabilizing X-ray output, enabling more accurate trace element analysis in complex matrices.