A system for positioning a sample in a charged particle apparatus (CPA) or an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) system includes a sample carrier coupled to a stage inside the vacuum chamber of the CPA or XPS system. The system allows transferring of the sample carrier among multiple CPAs, XPS systems and glove boxes in inert gas or in vacuum. The sample carrier is releasably coupled with the stage in the vacuum chamber of the CPA or the XPS. Multiple electrodes in a sample area of the sample carrier are electrically connectable with the stage by multiple spring contacts between the sample carrier and the stage.

An automatic method is provided to align a semiconductor crystalline substrate for electron channeling contrast imaging (ECCI) in regions where an electron channeling pattern cannot be reliably obtained but crystalline defects need to be imaged. The automatic semiconductor crystalline substrate alignment method is more reproducible and faster than the current operator intensive process for ECCI alignment routines. Also, the automatic semiconductor crystalline substrate alignment method increases the throughput of ECCI.

A sequential X-ray fluorescence spectrometer according to the present invention includes a total analysis time display unit configured to measure, for each kind of analytical sample, a standard sample which contains a component at a known content as a standard value to determine a measured intensity of each measurement line corresponding to the component. The total analysis time display unit is further configured to calculate, for each component, a counting time which gives a specified analytical precision by using the standard value and the measured intensity and to calculate a total counting time as a sum of the counting times of respective components. The total analysis time display unit is configured to calculate a total analysis time as a sum of the total counting time and a total non-counting time and to output the calculated total analysis time and the calculated counting times of the respective components.

A measurement head for making X-ray measurements on drilling fluid includes an inner pipe (30) having a outlet (32) and an outer pipe (34) around the inner pipe. Drilling fluid is pumped through the outlet refreshing the fluid at the outlet. The pump is then stopped. A height sensor (42) is then used to measuring the height of a meniscus of drilling fluid at the outlet (32). An X-ray head (50) including an X-ray source (52) and an X-ray detector (54) is then moved into a reproducible position above the meniscus of fluid above the outlet. The height sensor (42) may be fixed to a movable cover (40), to the X-ray head (50) or to some other part of the measurement head.

An X-ray device includes a C-bracket having a radiation detector rotatably mounted on the C-bracket. The radiation detector may be rotated by a motor drive. The axis of rotation is perpendicular to the detector surface. The motor drive is a torque motor that includes a stator and a rotor. The radiation detector is coupled to the rotor.

The invention relates to a vacuum chuck for clamping workpieces (19), in particular wafers, and a measuring device and a method for checking workpieces, in particular wafers, by means of X-ray fluorescent radiation.

A detector system for an x-ray imaging device includes a detector chassis, a plurality of sub-assemblies mounted to the detector chassis and within an interior housing of the chassis, the sub-assemblies defining a detector surface, where each sub-assembly includes a thermally-conductive support mounted to the detector chassis, a detector module having an array of x-ray sensitive detector elements mounted to a first surface of the support, an electronics board mounted to a second surface of the support opposite the first surface, at least one electrical connector that connects the detector module to the electronics board, where the electronics board provides power to the detector module and receives digital x-ray image data from the detector module via the at least one electrical connector. Further embodiments include x-ray imaging systems, external beam radiation treatment systems having an integrated x-ray imaging system, and methods therefor.

An analysis apparatus comprises: a moveable stage assembly; a sample holder on a top surface of the stage assembly; a first photon source and a first photon detector or detector array, the first photon source being configured to emit a first beam of photons that intercepts the surface of a sample at a first location on the sample and the first photon detector or detector array being configured to detect photons that are emitted from the first location; and a second photon source and a second photon detector or detector array, the second photon source being configured to emit a second beam of photons that intercepts the surface of the sample at a second location on the sample, the second location being spaced apart from the first location, and the second photon detector or detector array being configured to detect photons that are emitted from the second location.

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.

Systems and methods are provided for allowing users to safely and efficiently conduct repeatable dynamic experiments involving coordinated applications of force, motion, pressure, temperature, flow, dispersion and other physical events via a testing fixture positioned within an imaging environment.