X-rays are a method used for elemental analysis and chemical analysis. The main advantages of this method are short analysis time, sensitivity, ease of use, non-destructive examination method and low cost equipment.

Atoms of materials exposed to X-rays become ionized. Ionized atoms lose one or more electrons. High-energy x-rays can allow electrons to be removed from the atoms´ inner orbits. Electron loss from the inner orbit causes a gap to form in this orbit and the electrons in the upper orbitals fill this gap. In this case, energy is released in the form of photons corresponding to the energy difference between the two orbitals. This radiation is carried out in the form of radiation with the characteristic energy of the atoms in the material. By determining these energies, the material is characterized quantitatively and qualitatively.