Abstract: An x-ray spectrometer is provided comprising an X-ray source, a curved crystal monochromator which focuses a monochromatic x-ray beam onto a sample surface, the curved crystal monochromator comprising a shape which is substantially identical to a logarithmic spiral, and a position-sensitive x-ray detector. A method of measuring diffraction intensities from oriented samples in real time including providing an x-ray spectrometer comprising an X-ray source, a curved crystal monochromator which focuses a monochromatic x-ray beam onto a sample surface, the curved monochromator comprising the shape of a logarithmic spiral, and a position-sensitive x-ray detector; and providing a crystallographically oriented sample, exposing the sample to the focused x-ray beam of the x-ray spectrometer; and measuring the diffraction intensity at the position-sensitive detector.