Patent ID: 6665372
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An X-ray diffractometer for investigation of a sample, the diffractometer having at least one section in which X-rays can be guided along different optical paths, the diffractometer comprising:an X-ray source; a sample location onto which X-rays from said source are directed; an X-ray detector for receiving X-rays which are at least one of diffracted from, scattered from, and reflected by the sample at a selected detection angle; a goniometer cooperating with said source, said sample location and said detector for changing said detection angle to adjust sequential relative angular positions between said source, the sample and said detector to detecting at least one of X-ray diffraction lines, X-ray scattered signals, and X-ray reflectograms of the sample; an optical unit having n&gE;2 different, switchable optical paths for guiding X-rays from a first position to a second position downstream of said first position along a selected optical path, wherein said n&gE;2 different optical paths have fixed, unchanging positions relative to each other between said first and said second positions, wherein said sample location is disposed at one of said first position and said second positions; means for turning said optical unit relative to the sample and about said sample location to cause X-rays at said detection angle to travel along a different one of said n&gE;2 optical paths; and means for preventing X-rays emanating from the sample at angles other than said detection angle from reaching said detector along a non-selected one of said n&gE;2 different optical paths.