Systems and process are provided to make X-ray radiographs sufficiently quantitative and standardized for bone and other biological material or non-biologic material density evaluations. The X-ray radiograph methodology and system provide a cost effective diagnostic tool that may be used with existing X-ray radiography sources already present in many clinics and hospitals to ultimately produce large volumes of scientifically valid data and useful diagnostic and prognostic information. A calibration bar is added to a conventional X-ray film cartridge and images thereof subsequently incorporated into radiographs for interpretation or a cartridge is designed to integrate a calibration function. The calibration standard affords a standard against which material density is measured. A software program is provided to interpret tissue densities (including bone) to ultimately identify values compared to preselected thresholds.

Methods and systems for realizing a high brightness, compact x-ray source suitable for high throughput, in-line x-ray metrology are presented herein. A compact electron beam accelerator is coupled to a compact undulator to produce a high brightness, compact x-ray source capable of generating x-ray radiation with wavelengths of approximately one Angstrom or less with a flux of at least 1e10 photons/s*mm^2. In some embodiments, the electron path length through the electron beam accelerator is less than ten meters and the electron path length through the undulator is also less than 10 meters. The compact x-ray source is tunable, allowing for adjustments of both wavelength and flux of the generated x-ray radiation. The x-ray radiation generated by the compact x-ray source is delivered to the specimen over a small spot, thus enabling measurements of modern semiconductor structures.

Methods and systems for reducing the effect of finite source size on illumination beam spot size for Transmission, Small-Angle X-ray Scatterometry (T-SAXS) measurements are described herein. A beam shaping slit having a slender profile is located in close proximity to the specimen under measurement and does not interfere with wafer stage components over the full range of angles of beam incidence. In one embodiment, four independently actuated beam shaping slits are employed to effectively block a portion of an incoming x-ray beam and generate an output beam having a box shaped illumination cross-section. In one aspect, each of the beam shaping slits is located at a different distance from the specimen in a direction aligned with the beam axis. In another aspect, the beam shaping slits are configured to rotate about the beam axis in coordination with the orientation of the specimen.

This disclosure presents systems for x-ray microscopy using an array of micro-beams having a micro- or nano-scale beam intensity profile to provide selective illumination of micro- or nano-scale regions of an object. An array detector is positioned such that each pixel of the detector only detects x-rays corresponding to a single micro- or nano-beam. This allows the signal arising from each x-ray detector pixel to be identified with the specific, limited micro- or nano-scale region illuminated, allowing sampled transmission image of the object at a micro- or nano-scale to be generated while using a detector with pixels having a larger size and scale. Detectors with higher quantum efficiency may therefore be used, since the lateral resolution is provided solely by the dimensions of the micro- or nano-beams. The micro- or nano-scale beams may be generated using an arrayed x-ray source or a set of Talbot interference fringes.

This disclosure presents systems for x-ray microscopy using an array of micro-beams having a micro- or nano-scale beam intensity profile to provide selective illumination of micro- or nano-scale regions of an object. An array detector is positioned such that each pixel of the detector only detects x-rays corresponding to a single micro- or nano-beam. This allows the signal arising from each x-ray detector pixel to be identified with the specific, limited micro- or nano-scale region illuminated, allowing sampled transmission image of the object at a micro- or nano-scale to be generated while using a detector with pixels having a larger size and scale. Detectors with higher quantum efficiency may therefore be used, since the lateral resolution is provided solely by the dimensions of the micro- or nano-beams. The micro- or nano-scale beams may be generated using an arrayed x-ray source or a set of Talbot interference fringes.

A specimen radiography system may include a controller and a cabinet. The cabinet may include an x-ray source, an x-ray detector, and a specimen drawer disposed between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The specimen drawer may be automatically positionable along a vertical axis between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector.

A specimen radiography system may include a controller and a cabinet. The cabinet may include an x-ray source, an x-ray detector, and a specimen drawer disposed between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector. The specimen drawer may be automatically positionable along a vertical axis between the x-ray source and the x-ray detector.

A method images a region of interest of a sample using a tomographic X-ray microscope. The method includes registering a position of the sample. Registering includes: imaging a portion of the sample containing a feature using the microscope, identifying the feature by matching the feature to a pre-recorded feature, and determining a relative position of the feature in relation to the pre-recorded feature. The method also includes navigating a field of view of the microscope over the region of interest based on the registered position of the sample, and imaging the region of interest using the microscope.

A method images a region of interest of a sample using a tomographic X-ray microscope. The method includes registering a position of the sample. Registering includes: imaging a portion of the sample containing a feature using the microscope, identifying the feature by matching the feature to a pre-recorded feature, and determining a relative position of the feature in relation to the pre-recorded feature. The method also includes navigating a field of view of the microscope over the region of interest based on the registered position of the sample, and imaging the region of interest using the microscope.

The X-ray analysis apparatus contains an X-ray generation unit. The X-ray generation unit includes a target plate having a target that is irradiated with an electron beam from an electron beam source and generates X-rays, X-ray convergence optics that converges X-rays generated from the target in conjunction with a movement of the target plate, and a driving unit that changes a position of the target plate or the X-ray convergence optics relative to the electron beam source.