Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An x-ray diffraction apparatus for measuring a known characteristic of a sample of a material in an in-situ state, comprising:an x-ray source for emitting substantially divergent x-ray radiation;a collimating optic disposed with respect to the x-ray source for producing a substantially parallel beam of x-ray radiation by receiving and redirecting the divergent paths of the divergent x-ray radiation toward the sample, the collimating optic employing multiple total external reflections as its primary transmission technique; andfirst and second point x-ray detectors for collecting radiation emitted from the sample, wherein the first x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure a diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge, and wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure off the diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge;wherein the source and detectors are fixed, during operation thereof, in positions relative to each other and in at least one dimension relative to the sample according to a-priori knowledge about the known characteristic of the sample; andfurther comprising at least one angular filter, having multiple, parallel capillaries employing total external reflection, the at least one angular filter affixed to the first and/or second x-ray detectors for limiting the angles from which the radiation is collected by the respective detector. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure substantially noise off the diffraction peak. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the sample, wherein the sample requires phase monitoring and the apparatus is adapted to monitor said phase. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the sample is in a production line and moving past the source and detectors. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second source fixed relative to the second detector, wherein the first source and detector operate as a pair, and the second source and detector operate as a pair. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising the sample, wherein the sample requires texture monitoring and the apparatus is adapted to monitor said texture. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sample is in a production line and moving past the sources and detectors. 8. An x-ray diffraction apparatus for measuring a known characteristic of a sample of a material in an in-situ state, comprising:an x-ray source for emitting substantially divergent x-ray radiation;a collimating optic disposed with respect to the x-ray source for producing a substantially parallel beam of x-ray radiation by receiving and redirecting the divergent paths of the divergent x-ray radiation toward the sample, the collimating optic employing multiple total external reflections as its primary transmission technique; andfirst and second point x-ray detectors for collecting radiation emitted from the sample, wherein the first x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure a diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge, and wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure off the diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge;wherein the source and detectors are fixed, during operation thereof, in positions relative to each other and in at least one dimension relative to the sample according to a-priori knowledge about the known characteristic of the sample; andwherein the collimating optic has a plurality of capillaries and is shaped such that each capillary of the plurality of capillaries essentially points at the x-ray source, and employs multiple total external reflections within the capillaries to shape the divergent x-ray radiation into the substantially parallel beam by receiving and redirecting the divergent paths of the divergent x-ray radiation; andfurther comprising at least one angular filter, having multiple, parallel capillaries employing total external reflection, the at least one angular filter affixed to the first and/or second x-ray detectors for limiting the angles from which the radiation is collected by the respective detector. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure substantially noise off the diffraction peak. 10. An x-ray diffraction method for measuring a known characteristic of a sample of a material in an in-situ state, comprising:emitting substantially divergent x-ray radiation with an x-ray source;producing a substantially parallel beam of x-ray radiation by receiving and redirecting the divergent paths of the divergent x-ray radiation toward the sample with a collimating optic which employs multiple total external reflections as its primary transmission technique;collecting radiation emitted from the sample with first and second x-ray detectors, wherein the first x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure a diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge, and wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure off the diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge;wherein the source and detectors are fixed, during operation thereof, in positions relative to each other and in at least one dimension relative to the sample according to a-priori knowledge about the known characteristic of the sample; andfurther comprising using at least one angular filter, having multiple, parallel capillaries employing total external reflection, the at least one angular filter affixed to the first and/or second x-ray detectors for limiting the angles from which the radiation is collected by the respective detector. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure substantially noise off the diffraction peak. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the sample requires phase monitoring, the method further comprising monitoring said phase. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the sample in a production line past the source and detectors. 14. The method of claim 10, further comprising emitting substantially divergent x-ray radiation with a second source fixed relative to the second detector, wherein the first source and detector operate as a pair, and the second source and detector operate as a pair. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sample requires texture monitoring, the method further comprising monitoring said texture. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising moving the sample in a production line past the source and detectors. 17. An x-ray diffraction method for measuring a known characteristic of a sample of a material in an in-situ state, comprising:emitting substantially divergent x-ray radiation with an x-ray source;producing a substantially parallel beam of x-ray radiation by receiving and redirecting the divergent paths of the divergent x-ray radiation toward the sample with a collimating optic which employs multiple total external reflections as its primary transmission technique;collecting radiation emitted from the sample with first and second x-ray detectors, wherein the first x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure a diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge, and wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure off the diffraction peak determined according to the a-priori knowledge;wherein the source and detectors are fixed, during operation thereof, in positions relative to each other and in at least one dimension relative to the sample according to a-priori knowledge about the known characteristic of the sample;wherein the collimating optic has a plurality of capillaries and is shaped such that each capillary of the plurality of capillaries essentially points at the x-ray source, and employs multiple total external reflections within the capillaries to shape the divergent x-ray radiation into the substantially parallel beam by receiving and redirecting the divergent paths of the divergent x-ray radiation; andfurther comprising using at least one angular filter, having multiple, parallel capillaries employing total external reflection, the at least one angular filter affixed to the first and/or second x-ray detectors for limiting the angles from which the radiation is collected by the respective detector. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second x-ray detector is fixed in position to measure substantially noise off the diffraction peak.