Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. An x-ray optical system comprising:a source that emits an x-ray beam; andan optic that receives the beam from the source and directs the beam toward a sample to characterize the sample, the optic having an optical reflecting surface, the geometry of the optical reflecting surface being defined by revolving a defined contour around an axis that is different than the geometric symmetric axis of the contour. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the axis is in plane with the geometric symmetric axis in any longitudinal cross section. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a detector that characterizes the sample. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the source has at least a partial circular emission profile. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the source has a full circular emission profile. 6. The system of claim 4, wherein the source is a large source therefore the at least a partial circular profile is embedded within the source. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflecting surface is a concave surface. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the source has an emission profile with a semi-circular cross section. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the source has an emission profile with an at least partial ring cross section. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflecting surface is a convex surface. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the source has an emission profile with a ring cross section. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the source has an emission profile with an at least partial circular cross section. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflecting surface includes a convex portion and a concave portion. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the source is a rotating anode. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the source is a sealed tube x-ray generator. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the source is a microfocusing source. 17. The system of claim 1, wherein the optic is a total reflection optic. 18. The system of claim 1, wherein the optic is a multilayer optic. 19. The system of claim 1, wherein the optic is a reflective crystal. 20. The system of claim 1 wherein the x-ray source is segmented into multiple sections of different target materials. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein the optic is a total reflection optic with corresponding sections for different energies. 22. The system of claim 20, wherein the optic is a multilayer optic with corresponding sections for different energies, each section follows Bragg's law with its own contour and coating structure which include coating material combinations, layer thickness and variation of the layer thickness. 23. The optic of claim 22, wherein the optic has the same contour for different sections but different coating structure. 24. The optic of claim 22, wherein the optic has the same coating structure but different contours. 25. The system of claim 20, wherein the optic is a crystal optic with different sections, each of them has its own contour and crystal structure so that Bragg's law can be satisfied for its energy. 26. An x-ray optical element comprising an reflecting surface configured to reflect an x-ray beam, the reflecting surface having a first contour along a first direction defined by a geometric shape, a second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, the reflecting surface having a second contour in the second direction defined by the first contour being revolved about an axis that is different from the geometric symmetric axis of the geometric shape. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the axis is in plane with the geometric symmetric axis. 28. The system of claim 26, wherein the reflecting surface is a concave surface. 29. The system of claim 26, wherein the reflecting surface is a convex surface. 30. The system of claim 26, wherein the reflecting surface includes a convex portion and a concave portion. 31. A method for analyzing a sample including:generating an x-ray beam;directing the x-ray beam to a sample using an optic with a reflecting surface, the geometry of the reflecting surface being defined by revolving a defined contour around an axis that is different than the geometric symmetric axes of the optic;detecting the x-rays from the sample; andgenerating an electrical signal corresponding to the x-rays detected.