The present invention relates to a recrystallization rate measurement method of zirconium alloy cladding of a nuclear fuel rod, the method including: step 1 of irradiating SEM electron beams at a given scanning interval onto a first specimen to a third specimen which were electrolytically polished and obtaining electron backscattered signals therefrom by an EBSD camera; step 2 of converting electron backscattered signals obtained in step 1 into pattern quality values, respectively, and generating the pattern quality values as frequencies by a specified interval; step 3 of obtaining pattern quality frequencies (B+D) which are a portion of a whole frequency distribution of the second specimen, and pattern quality frequencies (D+E) which are a portion of a whole frequency distribution of the first specimen; and step 4 of obtaining the recrystallization rate of the second specimen with an equation of

[00001]$X^{}=\frac{\left(B+D\right)}{\left(D+E\right)}100,\%.$

In an embodiment, a method for determining the concentration of an element of a heteroepitaxial layer includes generating a reciprocal space map in Q.sub.z and Q.sub.x directions in a portion of reciprocal space describing positions of diffracted X-ray peaks of a heteroepitaxial layer and of a substrate on which the heteroepitaxial layer is positioned, determining the position of a diffracted X-ray peak of the substrate in the reciprocal space map in the Q.sub.x direction, determining the expected position of the diffracted X-ray peak of the heteroepitaxial layer in the Q.sub.x direction based on the determined position of the diffracted X-ray peak of the substrate in the Q.sub.x direction, generating a scan of the heteroepitaxial layer in a Q.sub.z direction at the expected position in the Q.sub.x direction, and determining the concentration of a constituent element of the heteroepitaxial layer based on the scan.

A method for performing an X-ray diffraction analysis of a crystal sample using a multi-dimensional detector that integrates an X-ray diffraction signal while the position of the sample relative to an X-ray source is changed along a scan direction. The resulting image is compressed along the scan direction, but may be collected very quickly. The capture of both on-axis and off-axis reflections in a single image provides a common spatial frame of reference for comparing the reflections. This may be used in the construction of a reciprocal space map, and is useful for analyzing a sample with multiple crystal layers, such as a crystal substrate with a crystalline film deposited thereupon.

An x-ray diffractometer may perform 3D-analysis of collagen tissue of a patient (a human or another animal). The diffractometer includes an oblong housing that may be hinged and that contains an x-ray projector on one side of a recess and a receiver on an opposite side of the recess. The recess accommodates analyzed tissue such as the external ear and skin of a patient. The x-ray projector directs an x-ray micro-beam at the patient's tissue, and the receiver contains a movable two-dimensional x-ray detector that detects a transmitted x-ray micro-beam passed through the analyzed tissue and detects x-rays scattered or diffracted by the analyzed tissue.

An x-ray diffractometer may perform 3D-analysis of collagen tissue of a patient (a human or another animal). The diffractometer includes an oblong housing that may be hinged and that contains an x-ray projector and an x-ray receiver. The analyzed tissue, such as the external ear and skin of a patient, is accommodated between the x-ray projector and the x-ray receiver. The x-ray projector directs an x-ray micro-beam at the patient's tissue. The receiver contains a movable two-dimensional x-ray detector that detects the x-ray micro-beam passed through the analyzed tissue and detects x-rays scattered or diffracted by the analyzed tissue.

There is provided a transmission X-ray diffraction (XRD) apparatus, the transmission XRD apparatus including an X-ray source for generating a direct X-ray beam; sample holder for receiving the sample, the sample being positioned to receive the direct X-ray beam when held by the sample holder; a detector for receiving X-rays transmitted through the sample and outputting an X-ray diffraction pattern therefrom; and an optical element positioned between the X-ray source and the detector, the optical element including a Montel optic and a secondary pin-hole collimator collectively adapted to focus the direct X-ray beam on the detector, wherein a ratio between a dimension of the direct X-ray beam projected on the detector and a sample-to-detector distance is equal or smaller than 1/570. Related methods are also provided.

Provided is an image acquisition method of acquiring an image of a crystalline specimen in a scanning transmission electron microscope. The scanning transmission electron microscope includes an electron source; an illumination system including a condenser lens, an aperture, and an illumination system deflector; a specimen stage; an imaging apparatus capable of photographing a Ronchigram formed on a diffraction plane; and an imaging system deflector. The method includes aligning a center of the Ronchigram with a center of a detector plane of the imaging apparatus; aligning a direction of incidence of the electron beam with respect to the specimen with a crystal zone axis of the specimen by aligning a shadow of the aperture with the crystal zone axis on the diffraction plane; and causing the imaging system deflector to deflect the electron beam to align the electron beam with the center of the detector plane of the imaging apparatus.