Patent ID: 6577705
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: G01N,G21K

Abstract:
A method for analyzing local composition of a compound having at least one gradient in concentration of a constituent, the method comprising:directing a beam of X rays, having energies approximately equal to a representative energy E, through a poly-capillary mechanism to provide an X-ray beam having a convergence angle up to about 100 at a selected compound, located in a selected region, having two or more constituents, and having at least one non-zero gradient in concentration in a selected direction for at least one selected constituent of the compound; allowing at least a first portion of the X rays to be diffracted at the selected region by the at least one selected constituent of the compound, for each of at least two diffraction angles relative to a selected surface of the compound and to be received and analyzed at an X-ray detection-mechanism, without rotating and without translating the at least one selected compound, without rotating and without translating the poly-capillary mechanism, and without rotating and without translating the X-ray detection mechanism; allowing a second portion of the X rays to induce fluorescence radiation by the at least one selected constituent; and receiving and analyzing at least a portion of the fluorescence radiation emitted by the at least one selected constituent at a fluorescence detector.