Patent ID: 7248669

Claim:
A method for analyzing a membrane structure of a single layer or multi-layer membrane specimen according to an X-ray reflectivity measurement conducted using a specified range of angles of X-ray reflection with respect to a surface of the membrane specimen, said method for analyzing a membrane structure comprising: measuring the X-ray reflectivity of the membrane specimen using a plurality of different measuring conditions, including a measuring condition with a high resolution and a narrow dynamic range when the angle of X-ray reflection is on a high side of the specified range of angles and including a measuring condition with a low resolution and a wide dynamic range when the angle of X-ray reflection is on a low side of the specified range of angles; generating a plurality of sets of measured data based on said measuring of the X-ray reflectivity; generating a plurality of reflectivity curves according to the plurality of sets of measured data; simultaneously analyzing the plurality of reflectivity curves to determine the membrane structure; and providing an output signal indicative of the membrane structure.