A confocal micro X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) spectrometer based on polycapillary X-ray optics was used
for the identification of paint layers. The performance of the confocal MXRF was studied. Multilayered
paint fragments of a car were analyzed nondestructively to demonstrate that this confocal MXRF
instrument could be used in the discrimination of the various layers in multilayer paint systems.