New Tools for Grazing Incidence Diffraction Measurements: Comparison of Different Primary and Secondary Beam Conditioners

摘要

Grazing incidence diffraction (GID) is a powerful tool for the structural characterization of thin films. Unlike traditional Bragg-Brentano geometry (divergent X-ray beam, focusing geometry), GID experiments are enhanced by a parallel beam of high intensity. Classical conditioning of the X-ray beam is done by using small slits on the primary beam side and a long Soller slit in combination with a flat crystal (e.g. graphite, lithium fluoride or germanium) or an energy dispersive detector on the secondary beam side. However, new alternatives for beam conditioners are becoming available which promise increased performance. X-ray beam optics using either planar or graded parabolically curved multilayer mirrors of high reflectivity have been constructed for the primary beam side as well as for the secondary beam side.