Patent ID: 7474734

Claim:
A data processing apparatus for measuring a void content of a sample which is made of a thin film having a matrix and voids dispersed in the matrix, the apparatus comprising: (a) film thickness acquiring means for acquiring a film thickness of the sample; (b) average density acquiring means for acquiring an average density of the sample; (c) an X-ray small angle scattering measurement equipment for acquiring a measured profile of a scattered X-ray intensity of the sample; (d) theoretical profile producing means for producing a theoretical profile of the scattered X-ray intensity of the sample using the acquired film thickness and the acquired average density; (e) scale factor calculating means for carrying out a parameter fitting operation between the acquired measured profile of the scattered X-ray intensity and the produced theoretical profile of the scattered X-ray intensity, and for calculating a scale factor of the scattered X-ray intensity; (f) void content acquiring means for acquiring a known void content of a first sample; (g) equipment constant calculating means for calculating an equipment constant of the X-ray small angle scattering measurement equipment based on the known void content of the first sample and a first scale factor calculated by the scale factor calculating means for the first sample; (h) void content calculating means for calculating a void content of a second sample for which the void content is unknown based on a second scale factor calculated by the scale factor calculating means for the second sample and the calculated equipment constant; and (i) signal generating means for generating a signal indicative of the calculated void content of the second sample.