X-ray reflectometry system with multiple sample holder and individual sample lifting mechanism

Abstract

An X-ray reflectometry apparatus comprises an X-ray source () configured to emit an incident X-ray beam directed onto a sample measuring position and an X-ray detector () configured to detect an X-ray beam () reflected from a surface of a selected sample () located in said sample measuring position and with a multiple sample holder () comprising an essentially horizontal one- or two-dimensional array of sample resting positions into which solid samples can be placed from above. A drive mechanism () moves the sample holder in one or two directions within a horizontal plane underneath the sample measuring position in order to place a selected sample () directly beneath the measuring position and a sample lift mechanism () has a vertically movable piston () located below the multiple sample holder () beneath the sample measuring position. When the sample lift mechanism () is activated, the piston () moves upwards against a bottom surface of the selected sample () or sample container () containing said selected sample (), lifts the selected sample () or sample container () until it touches a stop () that keeps the sample () in the sample measuring position. When the sample lift mechanism () is deactivated, the piston () moves downwards and the sample () rests in its resting position. The device prevents signal cross talk to neighboring samples or to the sample holder, while also assuring an alignment which can be parallel to the incident beam.