Comparative material characterization of historical and industrial samples by using a compact micro-XRF spectrometer

An experimental micro-XRF set-up was used for investigations in different application fields. In the archaeometric field, valuable 7th century gold objects were analysed with the aim of obtaining concentration data on well-defined metal areas. The results revealed an insight into the gold manufacturing habits of early medieval times. In the industrial field, piezoelectric ceramics were investigated in order to identify small inclusions in the material. The aim was to identify possible contamination sources in the manufacturing process. Copyright (C) 2002 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.