X-ray Fluorescence

The radition provided by a source of X – ray is allowed to fall on the sample to analysed. The enargy of the radiation must be sufficient to displace elctrons in the K, L or M shells of the atoms present in the sample.
When an electrons from the K – shell is displaced it leaves a vacancy which destabilises the enargy structures of the atom.
An electron from a higher – enargy level will fall into vacancy . such an electron can be provided by the L – shell , the enargy associated with this transfer correspondins to that of the emission of a photon of Ka with energy equal to the difference in energy possessed by electrons of the K and L shells. Such a transfer results also in a vacancy being created in the L – orbital which in turn is filled by transfer of an electron from the M – orbital with emission of a photon L. This allows the atom to return to a more stable energy state. The Spectrum of wavelengths resulting from the energy – level – jumps of the electrons into the K – orbital is called th “ K– Series”.
Those originating in the L and M– orbitals are similarly called “L and M Series.