A system and method for evaluating kerogen-rich shale (KRS) including measuring, via scanning microscopy, electrical conductivity of a KRS sample and a mechanical property of the KRS sample.

A system and method for evaluating kerogen-rich shale (KRS) including measuring, via scanning microscopy, electrical conductivity of a KRS sample and a mechanical property of the KRS sample.

An X-ray diffraction apparatus for high resolution measurement combines the use of an X-ray source with a target having an atomic number Z less 50 with an energy resolving X-ray detector having an array of pixels and a beta radiation multilayer mirror for selecting the K-beta radiation from the X-ray source and for reflecting the K-beta radiation onto the sample where it is diffracted onto the energy resolving X-ray detector. The sample may in particular be in transmission. The sample may be a powder sample in a capillary.

The present disclosure provides a system and method for efficiently mining multi-threshold measurements acquired using photon counting pixel-array detectors for spectral imaging and diffraction analyses. Images of X-ray intensity as a function of X-ray energy were recorded on a 6 megapixel X-ray photon counting array detector through linear fitting of the measured counts recorded as a function of counting threshold. An analytical model is disclosed for describing the probability density of detected voltage, utilizing fractional photon counting to account for edge/corner effects from voltage plumes that spread across multiple pixels. Three-parameter fits to the model were independently performed for each pixel in the array for X-ray scattering images acquired for 13.5 keV and 15.0 keV X-ray energies. From the established pixel responses, multi-threshold composite images produced from the sum of 13.5 keV and 15.0 keV data can be analytically separated to recover the monochromatic images through simple linear fitting.

A method and apparatus for rapid measurement and analysis of structure and composition of poly-crystal materials by X-ray diffraction and X-ray spectroscopy, which uses a two-dimensional energy dispersive area detector having an array of pixels, and a white spectrum X-ray beam source. A related data processing method includes separating X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy signals in the energy dispersive X-ray spectrum detected by each pixel of the two-dimensional energy dispersive detector; correcting the detected X-ray diffraction signals by a correction function; summing the corrected X-ray diffraction signals and X-ray spectroscopy signals, respectively, over all pixels to obtain an enhanced diffraction spectrum and an enhanced spectroscopy spectrum; using the enhanced diffraction and spectroscopy spectrum respectively to determine the structure and composition of the sample. The summing step includes using Bragg's equation to convert the intensity-energy diffraction spectrum for each pixel into an intensity-lattice spacing spectrum before summing them.

A high resolution grazing incidence X-ray diffraction technique for measuring residual stresses and their gradients as a function of depth in thin film materials on substrates or in bulk materials is disclosed. The technique includes positioning a material relative to an X-ray source and an X-ray detector, performing an Omega scan to determine an Omega offset, setting the incidence angle at a first target incidence angle based on the Omega offset and greater than the critical angle of the material, performing a grazing incidence X-ray diffraction scan, analyzing the results to identify diffraction peaks, selecting a diffraction peak, setting the incidence angle at a second target incidence angle based on the Omega offset and a desired penetration depth, performing two theta scanning on a range of two theta values around the selected diffraction peak, performing refraction correction, and determining residual stress values for the material.

A high resolution grazing incidence X-ray diffraction technique for measuring residual stresses and their gradients as a function of depth in thin film materials on substrates or in bulk materials is disclosed. The technique includes positioning a material relative to an X-ray source and an X-ray detector, performing an Omega scan to determine an Omega offset, setting the incidence angle at a first target incidence angle based on the Omega offset and greater than the critical angle of the material, performing a grazing incidence X-ray diffraction scan, analyzing the results to identify diffraction peaks, selecting a diffraction peak, setting the incidence angle at a second target incidence angle based on the Omega offset and a desired penetration depth, performing two theta scanning on a range of two theta values around the selected diffraction peak, performing refraction correction, and determining residual stress values for the material.

A high resolution grazing incidence X-ray diffraction technique for measuring residual stresses and their gradients as a function of depth in thin film materials on substrates or in bulk materials is disclosed. The technique includes positioning a material relative to an X-ray source and an X-ray detector, performing an Omega scan to determine an Omega offset, setting the incidence angle at a first target incidence angle based on the Omega offset and greater than the critical angle of the material, performing a grazing incidence X-ray diffraction scan, analyzing the results to identify diffraction peaks, selecting a diffraction peak, setting the incidence angle at a second target incidence angle based on the Omega offset and a desired penetration depth, performing two theta scanning on a range of two theta values around the selected diffraction peak, performing refraction correction, and determining residual stress values for the material.

A method and apparatus for X-ray diffraction analysis of amorphous and/or semi-crystalline materials is able to provide the internal strain map of at least the exposed region of the material, even in the amorphous regions of the material. This is achieved in part by providing several unique and novel analysis methods that are able to extract material properties of semi-crystalline and amorphous materials based on the amorphous diffraction signal. The ability to analyse the amorphous diffraction signal is further facilitated by the use of one or more state-of-the-art energy dispersive detectors, which the inventors have found especially suitable for this purpose. This further allows the use of a polychromatic X-ray source as opposed to the monochromatic X-ray sources typically encountered in X-ray diffraction experiments.

There is presented a screening system and a corresponding method for screening an item. The screening system includes a detection apparatus (100), a rotatable platform (310) to receive the item, and a mechanical arrangement (320, 330). The detection apparatus has an emitter portion to generate a primary beam of ionising radiation and a detector portion to detect an absorption signal and at least one of a diffraction signal and a scattering signal. The mechanical arrangement is adapted to translate the detection apparatus along a translation axis to scan the item with the primary beam. The screening system may be used for identifying restricted or illicit substances that may be present in some luggage or in mail.