Bede Scientific Instruments Limited

Rigaku Corporation

Medical Research Council

Adolf Inneman

Ladislav Pina

David Keith Bowen

Stephan Menzer

Kazuhiko Omote

Shintaro Kobayashi

Ulrich Wolfgang Arndt

Rene Hudec

An X-ray diffraction apparatus having a solar slit, and a method for preventing the diffraction image on a detector from spreading in the in-plane direction even when an X-ray irradiation region spreads over the sample surface due to measurement by GIXD, thereby allowing for measurement with a short measurement time and a high resolution. The soller slitincludes a plurality of metallic thin plates, each being perpendicular to the bottom surface, which are arcuately arranged with a predetermined angular interval between each other so as to pass X-rays in a radiating direction from a particular focus, the soller slit being provided to be used at a position through which X-rays diffracted on a sample surface pass, the particular focus being the center of a goniometer circle, the X-rays being irradiated on a sample at an angle for GIXD.

Soller slit, X-ray diffraction apparatus, and method

A Soller slit device is provided for collimation of high energy radiation, such as X-ray or EUV radiation, and has a low angle of divergence (less than 0.1&#xb0;) and a high transmission efficiency (60 to 80% or greater). The Soller slit is made up of multiple, parallel blades of low-density material, such as glass, mica, or the like, which can be treated to reduce reflectivity. The Soller slit device of the invention advantageously provides an increased peak intensity and decreased peak width in diffraction patterns produced in high energy diffractometry applications, such as X-ray diffractometry.

Soller slit using low density materials

The invention provides a miniaturized multi-foil object for use in a laboratory environment and other practical applications that require small or portable and/or disposable high energy radiation optics. Specifically, the invention finds utility in high energy lithographic systems, such as X-ray or EUV lithography, as a condenser optic or in topographic systems. In lithographic systems, the present invention exhibits square symmetry, a relatively large aperture size, and disposability. Additionally, the multi-foil optic of the invention provides a high throughput efficiency.

Multi-foil optic

Mirror support means having a metal block machined with a first pair of slots shaped to receive a first pair of curved mirrors and a second pair of slots shaped to receive a second pair of curved mirrors. The block is sufficiently resiliently deformable to enable the slots to be widened to receive the mirrors and then for the mirrors to be clamped in position, the slots being accurately machined so that the mirrors are bent into their required forms of curvature. The use of a unitary block simplifies the construction and setting up of the support means for the mirrors.

Growing community of inventors

Praha, Czechia

Adolf Inneman