There is described a handheld inspection device for inspecting an infrastructure having a structure wall at least partially supported into material such as soil. The handheld inspection device generally has a portable frame; a high energy photon source mounted to said portable frame and having a radioactivity level below a threshold radioactivity level; a scattered photon detector mounted to said portable frame and having a field of view diverging towards said target region of said infrastructure and encompassing at least a portion thereof, said scattered photon detector detecting scatter events incoming from said target region during a given period of time, and generating a signal indicative of scatter events detected during said period of time; and a controller receiving said signal generated by said scattered photon detector; and generating an integrity indication associated to said target region of said infrastructure based on said received signal.

The present specification discloses a multi-view X-ray inspection system having, in one of several embodiments, a three-view configuration with three X-ray sources. Each X-ray source rotates and is configured to emit a rotating X-ray pencil beam and at least two detector arrays, where each detector array has multiple non-pixellated detectors such that at least a portion of the non-pixellated detectors are oriented toward both the two X-ray sources.

Quantitative X-ray analysis is carried out by making X-ray fluorescence measurements to determine the elemental composition of a sample and a correction measurement by measuring the transmitted intensity of X-rays at an energy E transmitted directly through the sample without deviation. An X-ray diffraction measurement is made in transmission by directing X-rays from an X-ray source at the energy E onto a sample at an incident angle ψ.sub.1 to the surface of the sample and measuring a measured intensity I.sub.d(θ.sub.fl) of the diffracted X-rays at the energy E with an X-ray detector at an exit angle ψ.sub.2 corresponding to an X-ray diffraction peak of a predetermined component. A matrix corrected X-ray intensity is obtained using the measured X-ray intensity in the X-ray diffraction measurement, the correction measurement and the mass attenuation coefficient of the sample calculated from the elemental composition and the mass attenuation coefficients of the elements.

A method includes obtaining a dark-field signal generated from a dark-field CT scan of an object, wherein the dark-field CT scan is at least a 360 degree scan. The method further includes weighting the dark-field signal. The method further includes performing a cone beam reconstruction of the weighted dark-field signal over the 360 degree scan, thereby generating volumetric image data. For an axial cone-beam CT scan, in one non-limiting instance, the cone-beam reconstruction is a full scan FDK cone beam reconstruction. For a helical cone-beam CT scan, in one non-limiting instance, the dark-field signal is rebinned to wedge geometry and the cone-beam reconstruction is a full scan aperture weighted wedge reconstruction. For a helical cone-beam CT scan, in another non-limiting instance, the dark-field signal is rebinned to wedge geometry and the cone-beam reconstruction is a full scan angular weighted wedge reconstruction.

Methods and systems for estimating values of process parameters, structural parameters, or both, based on x-ray scatterometry measurements of high aspect ratio semiconductor structures are presented herein. X-ray scatterometry measurements are performed at one or more steps of a fabrication process flow. The measurements are performed quickly and with sufficient accuracy to enable yield improvement of an on-going semiconductor fabrication process flow. Process corrections are determined based on the measured values of parameters of interest and the corrections are communicated to the process tool to change one or more process control parameters of the process tool. In some examples, measurements are performed while the wafer is being processed to control the on-going fabrication process step. In some examples, X-ray scatterometry measurements are performed after a particular process step and process control parameters are updated for processing of future devices.

The present specification discloses a multi-view X-ray inspection system having, in one of several embodiments, a three-view configuration with three X-ray sources. Each X-ray source rotates and is configured to emit a rotating X-ray pencil beam and at least two detector arrays, where each detector array has multiple non-pixellated detectors such that at least a portion of the non-pixellated detectors are oriented toward both the two X-ray sources.

A method is carried out with the aid of a particle beam microscope which includes a particle beam column for producing a beam of charged particles, the particle beam column having an optical axis. Furthermore, the particle beam microscope includes a holding device for holding the extracted micro-sample. The method includes holding the extracted micro-sample and an adjacent hinge element via the holding device. The micro-sample adopts a first spatial orientation relative to the optical axis. The method also includes producing a bending edge in the hinge element by way of irradiation with a beam of charged particles such that the adjacent micro-sample is moved in space and the spatial orientation of the micro-sample is altered. The method further includes holding the micro-sample in a second spatial orientation relative to the optical axis, wherein the second spatial orientation differs from the first spatial orientation.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an analysis of a material of a component. A radiation source is activated to transmit radiation to the component. A beam pattern is obtained based on the component interfering with the radiation. The beam pattern is compared to a reference beam pattern. An anomaly is detected to exist in the material when the comparison indicates a deviation between the beam pattern and the reference beam pattern.

An x-ray imaging system includes an x-ray source configured to emit x-ray radiation towards a sample, and a primary detector configured to detect x-ray radiation from the x-ray source passing through the sample. The x-ray imaging system also includes a secondary detector configured to detect x-ray radiation from the x-ray source scattered in the sample, and imaging optics configured to guide x-ray radiation scattered in the sample onto the secondary detector.

The invention provides a novel microfluidic platform for use in electro-crystallization and electro-crystallography experiments. The manufacturing and use of graphene as X-ray compatible electrodes allows the application of electric fields on-chip, during X-ray analysis. The presence of such electric fields can be used to modulate the structure of protein (or other) molecules in crystalline (for X-ray diffraction) or solution form (for X-ray scattering). Additionally, the presence of an electric field can be used to extend the lifetime of fragile samples by expediting the removal of reactive secondary radiation damage species.