Disclosed herein is an x-ray backscatter apparatus for non-destructive inspection of a part. The x-ray backscatter apparatus comprises an x-ray source and an x-ray filter. The x-ray filter comprises a plurality of emission apertures and a detection aperture. The x-ray backscatter apparatus further comprises an x-ray intensity sensor that is fixed to the x-ray filter over the detection aperture such that any portion of an unfiltered x-ray emission filtered into the detection aperture is detected by the x-ray intensity sensor. The x-ray backscatter apparatus additionally comprises an emission alignment adjuster that is operable to adjust a position of the unfiltered x-ray emission relative to the plurality of emission apertures and the detection aperture in response to a position, relative to the detection aperture, of a peak intensity of the unfiltered x-ray emission passing into the detection aperture, detected by the x-ray intensity sensor.

An x-ray system, comprising: a backscatter detector, comprising: an x-ray conversion material; a plurality of sensors configured to generate electrical signals in combination with the x-ray conversion material in response to incident x-rays; and a collimator disposed on the x-ray conversion material and including a plurality of partitions extending away from the x-ray conversion material and the sensors and forming a plurality of openings, each opening corresponding to one of the sensors.

Charged particle assessment tools and inspection methods are disclosed. In one arrangement, a condenser lens array divides a beam of charged particles into a plurality of sub-beams. Each sub-beam is focused to a respective intermediate focus. Objective lenses downstream from the intermediate foci project sub-beams from the condenser lens array onto a sample. A path of each sub-beam is substantially a straight line from each condenser lens to a corresponding objective lens.

An apparatus for analyzing a core sample obtained from a subterranean formation includes a neutron generator, a plurality of detectors, a computed tomography scanner, an information processing device, and a transport system. The neutron generator can operate in a pulsed mode and emit neutrons into the core sample.

A method and apparatus for classifying and/or identifying materials by means of their spectral response to gamma radiation. Classification is carried out by irradiating multiple different samples with gamma radiation, detecting a spectral response in the backscatter direction, sorting the spectral response into energy bands and selecting a combination of energy bands to define a relationship that best distinguishes between clusters of spectral responses for different material classes. Two or more of the energy bands may overlap.

The present disclosure relates to a downhole tool that includes a first photon flux detector disposed at a first radial position about a longitudinal axis of the downhole tool that measures a first signal indicative of an x-ray flux of the x-ray photons. The downhole tool also includes a second photon flux detector disposed at a second radial position about the longitudinal axis of the downhole tool that measures a second signal indicative of the x-ray flux of the x-ray photons. Further, the downhole tool includes a controller communicatively coupled to the first photon flux detector and the second photon flux detector that determines a condition associated with the electron beam based at least in part on a relative x-ray flux from the first photon flux detector and the second photon flux detector.

Systems and methods of observing a sample using an electron beam apparatus are disclosed. The electron beam apparatus comprises an electron source configured to generate a primary electron beam along a primary optical axis, and a first electron detector having a first detection layer substantially parallel to the primary optical axis and configured to detect a first portion of a plurality of signal electrons generated from a probe spot on a sample. The method may comprise generating a plurality of signal electrons and detecting the signal electrons using the first electron detector substantially parallel to the primary optical axis of the primary electron beam. A method of configuring an electrostatic element or a magnetic element to detect backscattered electrons may include disposing an electron detector on an inner surface of the electrostatic or magnetic element and depositing a conducting layer on the inner surface of the electron detector.

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a combined scanning X-ray generator, a composite inspection apparatus and an inspection method. The combined scanning X-ray generator includes: a housing; an anode arranged in the housing, the anode including a first end of the anode and a second end of the anode opposite the first end of the anode; a pencil beam radiation source arranged at the first end of the anode and configured to emit a pencil X-ray beam; and a fan beam radiation source arranged at the second end of the anode and configured to emit a fan X-ray beam; wherein the pencil beam radiation source and the fan beam radiation source are operated independently.

The present invention enables an overlay error between processors to be measured from a pattern image, the SN ratio of which is low. To this end, the present invention forms a secondary electron image 200 from a detection signal of a secondary electron detector 107, forms a reflected electron image 210 from a detection signal of a reflected electron detector 109, creates a SUMLINE profile 701 that is obtained by adding luminance information in the reflected electron image along the longitudinal direction of a line pattern, and calculates an overlay error of a sample by using position information about an upper layer pattern detected from the secondary electron image and position information about a lower layer pattern that is detected by using an estimation line pattern 801 estimated on the basis of the SUMLINE profile from the reflected electron image.

The invention relates to method and system configured for material analysis and mineralogy. At least one image based on first emission from a sample is provided. First spectra of the sample based on second emissions from the second scan locations of the image are provided. A confidence score is calculated for every first spectrum, and second scan location(s) with confidence score(s) below a threshold value are selected. Second emissions from the selected second scan location(s) are acquired to provide new image and determine new second scan locations within the respective new image.