A radiation detection system may include a radiation source, and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) radiation detector. The SPR radiation detector may include a structure, a surface plasmon support material on portions of the structure and configured to receive radiation from the radiation source that initiates a surface plasmon at an interface between the structure and the surface plasmon support material, and a probing device coupled to the structure and configured to detect the surface plasmon.

Three ROIs, ROI-c, ROI-d, and ROI-e, are set for an L peak and an L peak reflecting an electron state of a valance band. Accumulated values in the ROI-c, ROI-d, and ROI-e are respectively normalized with reference to an accumulated value in an ROI-a, to determine a sample vector. The sample vector is compared to a plurality of compound vectors corresponding to a plurality of compounds, and a compound forming the sample is estimated based on a compound vector having the highest similarity.

Three ROIs, ROI-c, ROI-d, and ROI-e, are set for an L peak and an L peak reflecting an electron state of a valance band. Accumulated values in the ROI-c, ROI-d, and ROI-e are respectively normalized with reference to an accumulated value in an ROI-a, to determine a sample vector. The sample vector is compared to a plurality of compound vectors corresponding to a plurality of compounds, and a compound forming the sample is estimated based on a compound vector having the highest similarity.

A chemical state analysis apparatus 10 includes: an excitation source 11 configured to irradiate an irradiation region A of a predetermined surface in a sample S containing a battery material with an excitation rays for generating characteristic X-rays of the battery material; an analyzing crystal 13 of a flat plate arranged so as to face the irradiation region A; a slit 12 arranged between the irradiation region A and the analyzing crystal 13, the slit being arranged in parallel to the irradiation region A and a predetermined crystal plane of the analyzing crystal 13; an X-ray linear sensor 15 in which linear detecting elements 151 each having a length in a direction parallel to the slit 12 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the slit; a wavelength spectrum generation unit 161 configured to generate a wavelength spectrum based on intensity of the characteristic X-rays detected by the X-ray linear sensor 15; a peak wavelength determination unit 162 configured to determine a peak wavelength which is a wavelength in a peak of the wavelength spectrum; and a chemical state specification unit 163 configured to specify a value for specifying a chemical state of the battery material in the sample S from the peak wavelength determined by the peak wavelength determination unit 162 and a standard curve representing a relation between a value representing the chemical state and the peak wavelength.

An X-ray generation apparatus comprising: an X-ray generating unit; a dispersive crystal whose surface is irradiated with an X-ray generated from the X-ray generating unit in order to monochromatize the X-ray; and a detecting unit that detects an X-ray generated from a sample irradiated with the X-ray monochromatized by the dispersive crystal. The dispersive crystal has a single-bent shape containing the surface that is a concave surface formed by integrating concave curve lines continuously along an axis perpendicular to a plane including the concave curve line. A direction in which a position on the surface irradiated with the X-ray generated from the X-ray generating unit moves is the direction along the axis.

An X-ray generation apparatus comprising: an X-ray generating unit; a dispersive crystal whose surface is irradiated with an X-ray generated from the X-ray generating unit in order to monochromatize the X-ray; and a detecting unit that detects an X-ray generated from a sample irradiated with the X-ray monochromatized by the dispersive crystal. The dispersive crystal has a single-bent shape containing the surface that is a concave surface formed by integrating concave curve lines continuously along an axis perpendicular to a plane including the concave curve line. A direction in which a position on the surface irradiated with the X-ray generated from the X-ray generating unit moves is the direction along the axis.

An X-ray analyzer includes: a specimen stage; a spectrometer having a spectroscopic element and an X-ray detector; a temperature measuring unit including at least one of a first temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the specimen stage and a second temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the spectrometer; a storage unit which stores calibration data of the spectrometer, and a previous measurement result by the temperature measuring unit at the time of execution of the calibration of the spectrometer; and a notifying unit which acquires a measurement result by the temperature measuring unit, calculates a temperature variation amount of the acquired measurement result with respect to the previous measurement result stored in the storage unit, and notifies that calibration is needed, based on the temperature variation amount.

An X-ray analyzer includes: a specimen stage; a spectrometer having a spectroscopic element and an X-ray detector; a temperature measuring unit including at least one of a first temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the specimen stage and a second temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of the spectrometer; a storage unit which stores calibration data of the spectrometer, and a previous measurement result by the temperature measuring unit at the time of execution of the calibration of the spectrometer; and a notifying unit which acquires a measurement result by the temperature measuring unit, calculates a temperature variation amount of the acquired measurement result with respect to the previous measurement result stored in the storage unit, and notifies that calibration is needed, based on the temperature variation amount.

The invention relates to a method of examining a sample using a charged particle microscope, comprising the steps of providing a charged particle beam, as well as a sample, and scanning said charged particle beam over at least part of said sample. A first detector is used for obtaining measured detector signals corresponding to emissions of a first type from the sample at a plurality of sample positions. According to the method, a set of data class elements is provided, wherein each data class element relates an expected detector signal to a corresponding sample information value. The measured detector signals are processed, and processing comprises comparing said measured detector signals to said set of data class elements; determining at least one probability that said measured detector signals belong to a certain one of said set of data class elements; and assigning at least one sample information value and said at least one probability to each of the plurality of sample positions. Finally, sample information values and corresponding probability can be represented in data.

The invention relates to a method of examining a sample using a charged particle microscope, comprising the steps of providing a charged particle beam, as well as a sample, and scanning said charged particle beam over at least part of said sample. A first detector is used for obtaining measured detector signals corresponding to emissions of a first type from the sample at a plurality of sample positions. According to the method, a set of data class elements is provided, wherein each data class element relates an expected detector signal to a corresponding sample information value. The measured detector signals are processed, and processing comprises comparing said measured detector signals to said set of data class elements; determining at least one probability that said measured detector signals belong to a certain one of said set of data class elements; and assigning at least one sample information value and said at least one probability to each of the plurality of sample positions. Finally, sample information values and corresponding probability can be represented in data.