Abstract: An x-ray spectrometer system includes: an excitation source that produces excitation particles and irradiates a sample with the excitation particles such that the sample produces x-rays; thermal detectors that: detect the x-rays from the sample; and produce digital x-ray data in response to detecting the x-rays from the sample, the x-ray data including x-ray pulses; and an analyzer that includes a multichannel receiver that receives, in parallel, the digital x-ray data from the thermal detectors and that: rejects pulse pileup in the digital x-ray data and produces pass data from the digital x-ray data; subjects the pass data to an optimal filter to produce filter data; determines a pulse height of x-ray pulses in the filter data to produce pulse data; combines the pulse data to produce combined data; and calibrates the combined data to produce calibrated data.

Abstract: An x-ray spectrometer system includes: an excitation source that produces excitation particles and irradiates a sample with the excitation particles such that the sample produces x-rays; thermal detectors that: detect the x-rays from the sample; and produce digital x-ray data in response to detecting the x-rays from the sample, the x-ray data including x-ray pulses; and an analyzer that includes a multichannel receiver that receives, in parallel, the digital x-ray data from the thermal detectors and that: rejects pulse pileup in the digital x-ray data and produces pass data from the digital x-ray data; subjects the pass data to an optimal filter to produce filter data; determines a pulse height of x-ray pulses in the filter data to produce pulse data; combines the pulse data to produce combined data; and calibrates the combined data to produce calibrated data.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for performing x-ray photoelectron emission analysis which uses a collimated x-ray beam directed to an optically polished sample at a small grazing angle of incidence, a fixed sample/electron spectrometer geometry, and an x-ray detector for detecting x-rays reflected off of the sample. With the system, an enhancement of the x-ray field at layer interfaces in a multilayer sample can take place. The system permits depth profiling of an over layer on a substrate, such as a metal or metal oxide on a metal substrate. The enhancement permits absolute calibration of depth-dependence. The system reduces lineshape distortions due to inelastic electron scattering of exiting photoelectrons and eliminates energy distortions due to changes in the sample position relative to the focal point of the electron spectrometer.

Abstract: A periodic scattering array is used to diffract electromagnetic radiation or massive particles of specific wavelength and energy. A detector sutiable to the radiation or particles is integrated into the surface or bulk of the array. The detector is configured so as to not perturb the diffraction resolution of the array.