X-RAY DIFFRACTION DEVICE AND METHOD TO MEASURE STRESS WITH 2D DETECTOR AND SINGLE SAMPLE TILT

摘要

A method is provided for performing an X-ray diffraction stress analysis of a sample such as a thin film, a coating, or a polymer. The sample has a surface with two perpendicular axes S 1 , S 2 within a plane of the surface, and a third axis S 3 perpendicular to the sample surface plane. An X-ray beam is directed at the sample surface at a relatively low angle with regard to the surface plane. X-ray energy is diffracted from the sample and detected with a two-dimensional X-ray detector (108) at a plurality of rotational orientations (¦) of the sample about S 3 . The third axis S 3 is maintained at a constant tilt angle (È) during the entire X-ray diffraction stress analysis, thereby avoiding the significant error associated to the movement of a cradle track of a goniometer (100) used for the X-ray diffraction stress analysis and on which measurements at a low 2¸ angle are highly sensitive.