Disclosed is an X-ray topography apparatus including an X-ray source, a multilayer film mirror, a slit, a two-dimensional X-ray detector, and a sample moving device that sequentially moves the sample to a plurality of step positions. The X-ray source is a minute focal spot. The multilayer film mirror forms monochromatic, collimated, high-intensity X-rays. The direction in which the multilayer film mirror collimates the X-rays coincides with the width direction of the slit. The step size by which the sample is moved is smaller than the width of the slit. The combination of the size of the minute focal spot, the width of the slit, and the intensity of the X-rays that exit out of the multilayer film mirror allows the contrast of an X-ray image produced when the detector receives X-rays for a predetermined period of 1 minute or shorter to be high enough for observation of the X-ray image.

The invention relates to the field of the analysis of objects by x-ray diffraction spectroscopy. One subject of the invention is a device for analysing an object by x-ray diffraction spectroscopy, comprising a collimator the shape of which allows various portions of an object to be analysed simultaneously. To do this, the collimator includes channels inclined with respect to an axis, called the central axis of the collimator, in such a way that various channels address various elementary volumes distributed through the object. Another subject of the invention is a method allowing an object to be analysed using such a device. The object may for example be a biological tissue that it is desired to characterize non-invasively and non-destructively.

Methods and systems for characterizing dimensions and material properties of semiconductor devices by full beam x-ray scatterometry are described herein. A full beam x-ray scatterometry measurement involves illuminating a sample with an X-ray beam and detecting the intensities of the resulting zero diffraction order and higher diffraction orders simultaneously for one or more angles of incidence relative to the sample. The simultaneous measurement of the direct beam and the scattered orders enables high throughput measurements with improved accuracy. The full beam x-ray scatterometry system includes one or more photon counting detectors with high dynamic range and thick, highly absorptive crystal substrates that absorb the direct beam with minimal parasitic backscattering. In other aspects, model based measurements are performed based on the zero diffraction order beam, and measurement performance of the full beam x-ray scatterometry system is estimated and controlled based on properties of the measured zero order beam.

The present disclosure relates to methods of obtaining electron diffraction data of microcrystalline samples.

A compositional visualization system comprises a sensor to collect contextual information, a particle generator to generate a first stream of one or more types of particles, and a detector to receive a second stream of one or more detectable products. The second stream is generated by interaction of the first stream with the environment. The system further comprises computer-executable instructions to cause the system to transform the received second stream into compositional data, and merge the compositional data with the contextual information to generate a merged digital representation. The merged digital representation can be displayed at one or more devices and can also be used directly to drive autonomous robotic systems.

A computer-implemented method, computer program product and computing device for determining a composition of an unknown sample based on X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. An initial energy dispersive spectrum of the sample, obtained while an initial set of WDX measurements is ongoing, is used to determine a sample class of the sample, and to derive one or more expected elements associated with the determined sample class. The device then retrieves optimized WDX measurement conditions associated with the expected elements, and provides the optimized WDX measurement conditions to a WDX channel for performing a further set of WDX measurements using the optimized WDX measurement conditions with a focus on the one or more expected elements. The device then determines the composition of said sample by using the points measured via the WDX channel.