In June, Olympus began shipping its BTX Profiler, a combination X-ray diffraction (XRD)–X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer for powder analysis. The analyzer is the lab-based version of the firm’s Terra portable XRD-XRF instrument.

The BTX Profiler is designed to save money, space and time for users that require both XRD and XRF analysis. Unlike typical XRD-XRF combination analyzers, the BTX Profiler is intended to provide equally accurate compound identification and elemental analysis, according to Brad Boyer, vice president of XRD Products at Olympus. “The intrinsic compromises necessary in alternative design approaches yields both an expensive instrument [and one] which is not well suited for at least one of the techniques,” he said. “The BTX Profiler contains technology specific for both methods, such as an X-ray tube for XRD measurements, which is well suited for XRD analysis, and a second X-ray tube well suited for XRF analysis.” The BTX Profiler incorporates Olympus’s electronics, as well as two-dimensional transmission-based XRD and compact XRF spectrometry technologies, which the company acquired through its purchases of inXitu and Innov-X Systems (see IBO 8/15/10), respectively.

The BTX Profiler is intended for end-markets such as geochemistry, energy, pharmaceuticals and forensics. Olympus’s targeted applications include shale gas analysis, counterfeit drug identification and explosives identification. The analyzer is available in single sample or multiple sample models. A helium purge option lets users analyze low concentrations of light elements. Mr. Boyer told IBO that the price is similar to competing single technique instruments.