Estimation of the properties of an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer based on a composite double-layer detector

A mathematical model of double-layer Si-Ge and Si-AsGa energy-dispersive detectors of X-rays based on the analysis of processes of radiation and electron transfer in the detector is proposed along with a model of an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer on the basis of this detector. The probabilities of recording of photons in different sections of the detector response function are calculated using the Monte-Carlo technique. It is shown that, in using an anticoincidence circuit and a Si detector as the first layer and Ge or AsGa detectors as the second layer, a detector with improved characteristics can be obtained, namely, the suppressed loss peaks of Ge or As and Ga and the efficiency of detection at the high radiation energy close to that of the Ge or AsGa detector. This detector in the energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer in some cases allows the reduction of the background level.