Generalized grazing-incidence-angle X-ray diffraction (G-GIXD) using image plates.

A new and more 'generalized' grazing-incidence-angle X-ray diffraction (G-GIXD) method which enables simultaneous measurements both of in- and out-of-plane diffraction images from surface and interface structures has been developed. While the method uses grazing-incidence-angle X-rays like synchrotron radiation as an incident beam in the same manner as in 'traditional' GIXD, two-dimensional (area) detectors like image plates and a spherical-type goniometer are used as the data-collection system. In this way, diffraction images both in the Seemann-Bohlin (out-of-plane) and GIXD geometry (in-plane) can be measured simultaneously without scanning the detectors. The method can be applied not only to the analysis of the in-plane crystal structure of epitaxically grown thin films, but also to more general research topics like the structural analysis of polycrystalline mixed phases of thin surface and interface layers.